A new electric vehicle company that brings together two big names in Japanese business, Honda Motor Co and Sony Group Corp, officially commenced operations yesterday.
The electric vehicle from Sony Honda Mobility Inc is to go on sale in 2025, with deliveries coming first in the US in early 2026 and in Japan later that year, chief executive Yasuhide Mizuno told reporters.
Preorders start in 2025.
Photo: Bloomberg
Sony and Honda in March agreed to set up the 50-50 joint venture, with the idea of bringing together Honda’s expertise in autos, mobility technology and sales with Sony’s imaging, network, sensor and entertainment expertise.
Production is to take place at one of Honda’s 12 plants in the US, but details such as pricing, platform and the kind of battery to be used were not disclosed.
Production volume was also not given, but officials said this was a special model and not intended for massive sales.
Mizuno, who is from Honda, said the collaboration brings together hardware and software to deliver an emotionally satisfying experience on the move.
“It was necessary to take a totally new approach,” Mizuno told reporters in Tokyo. “We want to make this completely new.”
The US was chosen for the launch because electric vehicles are already popular there. Japan came second as Honda’s home market and other markets, including Europe, would follow, but no dates were set, he said.
Izumi Kawanishi, the Sony executive who is chief operating officer at Sony Honda Mobility, said partners would be added to the project.
Demand for zero-emissions vehicles is expected to grow worldwide amid concerns about climate change and sustainability.
Sony, which makes the PlayStation console, and has movie and music businesses, showed an electric vehicle concept at the CES show in Las Vegas two years ago and has been eager to find an auto partner.
Honda has electric vehicles in its lineup, although not as plentiful as do some rivals, such as Ford Motor Co or Nissan Motor Co.
Tokyo-based Honda has teamed up with General Motors Co to share platforms for electric vehicles in North America, but the products are not yet on sale.
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