Chinese battery makers CATL and BYD have refused to build factories exclusively for Apple in the US, which could hit the plans of the company, which is preparing to launch its first electric car.

CATL has been reluctant to build a plant in the United States due to tensions between Washington and Beijing and economic considerations, although the company is still considering opening production in North America. Additionally, the Chinese firm found it impossible to find a dedicated team working only with Apple due to the difficulty of finding the right staff. The proposal to build a plant exclusively for Apple was also rejected by BYD, which already has facilities in California.