Sony, Honda establish new company to roll out next-gen EVs by 2025

Sony and Honda could be making a new car. But no, it’s not for Gran Turismo  a PlayStation-exclusive video game.

Both firms enter a strategic partnership as Sony and Honda recently sign a joint venture agreement to establish a new company to engage in the sale of high-value-added electric vehicles (EVs) and provide services for mobility.

The said company, which will be called Sony Honda Mobility, Inc., will bring together Honda’s cutting-edge environmental and safety technologies, mobility development capabilities, vehicle body manufacturing technology, and after-sales service management experience, with Sony’s expertise in the development and application of imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and entertainment technologies.

The marriage of Sony and Honda’s expertise will pave the way for the realization of a new generation of mobility and services for mobility closely aligned with users and the environment, and continue to evolve going forward.

“Honda continues to take on new challenges in the environmental, safety, and other advanced fields in order to be a driving force for social change through mobility, and ‘become the power that supports people around the world who are trying to do things based on their own initiative.’ We are very pleased to have signed a joint venture agreement with Sony, which has strengths in advanced digital technology and shares our desire to take on new challenges. Since its announcement in March, many people have expressed their expectations for this joint venture. At the new company, we will strive to create new value through the fusion brought about by the combination of our different industries, so please look forward to future developments,” said Honda Motor Co., Ltd. Director, President, Representative Executive Officer and CEO Toshihiro Mibe.

Sony Honda Mobility, Inc. is poised to begin the sale of EVs (reportedly the Sony Vision S, or a Honda-fied version of it) and provision of services for mobility in 2025. It will be headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, and will have a capital of ¥10-B.

Both Sony and Honda will have a 50-50 share in the company.

“Based on our vision to ‘make the mobility space an emotional one,’ Sony’s initiatives in the mobility business are centered around the three areas of safety, entertainment, and adaptability. As we continue our learnings in these areas, we are excited to have met a partner, Honda, with extensive global achievements and knowledge, and to sign the joint venture agreement between the two companies. Going forward, we aim to contribute to the evolution of mobility by combining Honda’s cutting-edge environmental and safety technologies, mobility development capabilities, vehicle body manufacturing technology, and after-sales service management experience, with our expertise in imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and entertainment technologies,” said Sony Group Corporation Representative Corporate Executive Officer, Chairman, President and CEO Kenichiro Yoshida.

Photos from Sony

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