Published reports say that Apple is tripling the current 600-member team tasked with building an electric car and shipping it in 2019.

The company reportedly has hired experts in driverless cars, but word is that its first electric vehicle will not be fully autonomous. That goal will be a longer term than the 2019 date when the first vehicle hits the road. Apple reportedly will capitalize on expertise gained when developing iPhones in areas such as batteries, sensors and hardware-software integration.

The 2019 target is ambitious, reports say. When Apple’s design and prototype are complete, testing and regulatory hurdles will follow. In addition, the global market for electric cars is soft due to low gas prices and vehicle price and battery range. A positive for the industry is the tightening of emission standards.

Those involved include DJ Novotney, an Apple veteran with a history of successfully shipping products. Novotney, one of the first hires to the program last year, is a vice president of program management, overseeing a growing team of managers who coordinate activities among various teams.

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