Battery maker sues Apple over poaching

Electric-car battery maker A123 Systems has sued Apple for poaching top engineers to build a large-scale battery division, according to a court filing that offered further evidence that the iPhone maker may be developing a car.

Apple has been poaching engineers with deep expertise in car systems, including from Tesla, and talking with industry experts and automakers with the ultimate aim of learning how to make its own electric car, an auto industry source said.

Trying to build an actual car would mark a dramatic shift for the maker of the iPhone and iPad. Apple often researches projects which are then discarded, but has so far mainly stuck to its core expertise in mobile and electronic devices.