The rumor mill keeps on grinding about Apple's failed bid to buy Tesla Motors, Inc. last year and how this failure pushed the cash flush Cupertino giant to decide to build its own self-driving car.

Persistent rumors continue to circulate Apple is well and truly interested in electric cars. Only not the flashy electric roadsters like the mean-looking Tesla Model S sedan. Apple seems to be going for something boring. Like a self-driving car that looks like a pill on wheels.

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Early last year, the San Francisco Chronicle speculated that a discreet meeting between Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk and Apple's head of mergers and acquisitions suggested Apple was quite interested in buying Tesla. And Musk did confirm he'd been talking with Apple but didn't reveal what about.

"We had conversations with Apple," Musk said. "I can't comment whether those revolved around an acquisition."

Now who believes that line? Can a genius like Musk forget a big conversation that could have caused him to yield his company to Apple?

"If there was a scenario where it seemed like it would be more likely that we would be able to create the mass market sort of affordable compelling electric car, then possibly it would make sense to entertain those discussions. But, I don't currently see any scenario that would improve that probability so that's why it's very unlikely."

Recent revelations seem to confirm Apple did try to buy Tesla but this bid failed.

A news story in The Wall Street Journal said Apple CEO Tim Cook approved the car project almost a year ago, or right after Apple's attempt to buy Tesla fizzled.

Tech experts surmise Musk didn't sell Tesla to Apple or take Apple on as a partner because his vision and Apple's were worlds apart.

Enter Apple's Project Titan, Apple's not so secret attempt to develop a self-driving electric vehicle that resembles a minivan. Cook is reported to have green lighted this project.

But some sources say Apple could be working on either an autonomous car or a platform for electric cars that use Apple software.