Apple secretly collaborated with Chinese automaker BYD to develop long-range electric vehicle battery technology as part of its now-nixed Apple

Apple's collaboration with Chinese battery company BYD on battery development for its now-canceled Apple Car project has been revealed.

Apple and BYD developed advanced long-range batteries, but the iCar never materialized. Executives from the tech giant were reportedly shown early prototypes of BYD’s Blade battery. Apple ultimately backed away from the project and looked to work with other battery makers.

Apple worked with Chinese automaker BYD for years, developing batteries that helped lay the groundwork for tech used today, according to people familiar with the situation.

For years, Apple was rumored to be working on a futuristic self-driving car, with the company tied to collaborations with Volkswagen and even a potential deal to buy McLaren at one point. That never happened and the project was canned after 10 years,