Early last year, a man who identified himself as a parts manager at Apple went to Japanese auto parts maker Sanden’s office in Texas to make “high-performance components.” Sanden is one of the largest suppliers of AC components for vehicles.

That man then went on to present schematics of an EV and AC parts to Sanden. Both companies then went on to discuss the various requirements. However, the talks between the two companies fell through due to the pandemic, as Sanden’s cash flow took a hit, and it had to make settlements with creditors outside of the court.

The man, who introduced himself as a parts manager, said Apple wanted to make electric vehicles and needed Sanden’s help on high-performance components, according to people familiar with the conversation. Slowly and deliberately, he presented schematics of an EV and air conditioner parts.

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Apple and Sanden went on to discuss specific parts requirements. But Sanden’s cash flow took a turn for the worse as the coronavirus pandemic unfolded. The company entered out-of-court talks with creditors on a debt resolution in June 2020, and its prospects of joining the Apple Car project faded.

There are no other details in the report, but it does shed light on how Apple is looking for suppliers for various Apple Car components. Apple Car is still at least half a decade away, but there’s still a lot of interest in it. Reports indicate Apple is trying to build a self-driving electric vehicle, though it has struggled to find the right partner. The company was in talks with Kia-Hyundai and other manufacturers, but they fell through. It could now develop the Apple Car itself due to these setbacks.