The man leading Apple’s electric vehicle project is leaving the company

The Apple Inc. veteran tasked with spearheading the company’s efforts to build an automobile is leaving the company, according to people familiar with the matter. Steve Zadesky, a 16-year Apple veteran who has been overseeing its electric-car project for the last two years, has told people he is leaving the company. The timing of his departure isn’t clear. He is still at Apple for now. A person familiar with the matter said Mr. Zadesky’s departure was for personal reasons and wasn’t related to his performance. Mr. Zadesky didn’t immediately respond to a message sent through LinkedIn. Still, the pending departure marks a setback for one of the most talked-about projects in the technology field. Apple has become the most valuable company in the world making consumer electronics products, but moving into the automotive sector poses big new challenges. Mr. Zadesky, who worked on the iPod and the iPhone during his career, was given permission in 2014 to start investigating Apple’s entry into the electric car market. Last year, Apple designated the initiative—code-named “Titan”— a committed project and set a ship date of 2019.