Apple Hires Tesla Engineer To Head Car Project, Report Says

 Porritt would become Apple’s most senior “car guy” and a likely candidate to lead the Cupertino, Calif.-based company’s secretive electric vehicle project code-named Titan, according to online technology website Electrek and its sister publication 9to5Mac. Porritt would replace Steve Zadesky, the executive who had been leading Apple’s car initiative but who was reported in January to be leaving the company.

While Apple has never confirmed it’s developing a car, the iPhone maker has been building a team, including recruiting engineers and experts in battery and robotics technology, to work on the project. Porritt previously worked at Land Rover and was chief engineer at Aston Martin, where he was credited with making some of that company’s most iconic vehicles in recent years, including the One-77 supercar, the V12 Zagato and Aston Martin DB9. Jony

Ive, Apple’s chief design officer, is said to have a weak spot for Aston Martins and reportedly owned a few models, Electrek reported.

At Tesla, Porritt reportedly worked on both the Model S and X platforms, as well as the Model 3 chassis, according to Electrek.

Senior Apple engineers who will report to Porritt include Product Development Engineering Director Albert Golko and engineer Emery Sanford, according to the website.

An Apple spokesman declined to comment on the hire.