Honda and Sony have announced plans to create a joint venture to design and sell electric vehicles. The yet-to-be-named company will be established this year after the negotiations and once all regulatory approvals are obtained.
The first models are expected to hit the market in 2025. Honda will be responsible for manufacturing the first model, including its development, design, and sales, as well as providing expertise in marketing, while Sony will develop the mobility service platform and share its know-how in entertainment, telecommunications, and image sensors.
“Although Sony and Honda are companies that share many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different. Therefore, I believe this alliance which brings together the strengths of our two companies offers great possibilities for the future of mobility,” said Honda boss Toshihiro Mibe.
“Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated extensive global experience and achievements in the automobile industry over many years and continues to make revolutionary advancements in this field, we intend to build on our vision to ‘make the mobility space an emotional one,’ and contribute to the evolution of mobility centered around safety, entertainment and adaptability,” said Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida in a statement.
AT CES 2022, Sony Group Corporation announced the launch of a new operating company Sony Mobility Inc. that would focus on the development and production of electric vehicles.
Bradley Rhodes
The company also unveiled a prototype of its Vision-S 02 electric vehicle, emphasizing that its priority is safety and security. However, considering its joint plans with Honda, whether Sony will continue developing the idea is unknown.