Close on the heels of news that Apple Inc. in secretly working on an electric car project at a facility close to its headquarters in Cupertino, California; speculations are rife regarding the automaker that the tech titan is collaborating with. In fact, one auto component manufacturer has already requested Apple to consider its partnership proposal if it is really working on an electric car project.

Reuters reports that German automotive industry supplier Continental AG CEO Elmar Degenhart has expressed his company's "interest" in an Apple partnership.

During a conference call with analysts and reporters to announce Continental's 2014 performance results on Thursday, Degenhart said, "Apple has an excellent reputation on information and communication systems and has incredible financial strength."

Meanwhile, the Reuters report cites "a senior BMW manager" claiming Apple was impressed by the i3 electric city car released by BMW recently. It is rumored that the Cupertino-based tech giant may strike a deal with BMW to produce its own electric car. According to the rumored deal, BMW will incorporate Apple's operating system as well as compatibility into future i3 models and in return will offer Apple car servicing through BMW's repair centers. This will save Apple the need to set up its own workshops.

Interestingly, Degenhart extended its partnership proposal to Apple on the same day when BMW talked about the rumors published on Auto Motor und Sport, a German car site, that Apple and BMW are courting one another for partnership on an Apple electric car.

The report further says that a BMW representative in Frankfurt told Reuters last Thursday, "We are in regular talks with companies from the IT and telecommunications sector, including Apple, concerning topics like connected vehicles. Developing or building a car is not a topic of these discussions."

Meanwhile, at the Geneva Auto Show last week, the heads of Volkswagen Group (which owns Audi), the Renault-Nissan alliance and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles announced that they welcomed Apple and Google's efforts to develop electric cars and related car technologies.