• An update from WARN notes that over 700 Apple employees have lost their jobs.
• The layoffs are specifically for workers at the company’s Santa Clara office, where they were tasked with developing its electric vehicle.
• Earlier this week it was reported that Apple has ditched its EV plans in favour of pursuing personal robotics.

This week has gotten worse for any team members at Apple who were involved with developing the company’s long-rumoured electric vehicle (EV).

Following a report that the Cupertino-based firm has decided to ditch its EV plans altogether and instead pursue the development of personal robotics for the home, an update from the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) program says that more than 700 Apple employees have been let go.

The Employment Development Department of California explains that the majority of the layoffs are those working at Apple’s offices at Santa Clara, with 371 of these located where the team for handling the aforementioned EV project were based.

A total of eight offices in Santa Clara were affected by the layoffs, with Engadget noting that one of these were responsible for another failed project – microLED displays.

Apple had originally intended to develop its own screens for products like the iPhone, iMac, and Watch, much like the company has done when it comes to silicon, but it turns out that this segment is simply too expensive to pursue at this stage.

While many employees are now out of a job, it should be noted per the WARN report that the company did offer the opportunity for those being laid off to switch to different teams within Apple. Some did choose to take up this option, but not all were afforded the opportunity to do so given the number of spaces available.

Either way it means more skilled people are out of jobs at another big tech company, and any notion of an Apple-made electric car are well and truly gone.