Sony, Honda to open electric vehicle preorders in 2025, begin US deliveries in 2026
Company reps say vehicle would function almost like a rolling smartphone
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Sony Corporation and Honda will begin accepting pre-orders for their first electric vehicle model in the first half of 2025.
The two companies, which announced the joint venture known as Sony Honda Mobility in June, expect online EV sales to begin by the end of 2025, with the first deliveries on track for Spring 2026 in the U.S. and the second half of 2026 in Japan. Additionally, the companies are considering a launch for Europe, though no plans have been solidified.
Izumi Kawanishi, left, the Sony executive who became Chief Operating Officer at Sony Mobility and Chief Executive Yasuhide Mizuno pose for a photo during a news conference in Tokyo Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. (Takuto Kaneko/Kyodo News via AP / AP Newsroom)
Honda will manufacture the vehicle at one of its factories in North America, while Sony will develop the software system and sensors. The new EV will be priced at a premium, offering a new software system developed by Sony that would open the way to recurring revenue from entertainment and other services that would be billed monthly, the companies said.
Key details, including pricing, battery range and even the platform for the new vehicle have not been determined, but representatives of the new company detailed a vision for a vehicle that would function almost like a rolling smartphone.
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SHM plans to develop Level 3 automated driving under limited conditions and enable Level 2+ driver assistance in situations such as urban driving. In Level 3 systems, also known as limited self-driving automation, drivers can ride without watching the road or handling the wheel on highway driving but need to be ready to take back control.
Additionally, the company plans to explore new entertainment possibilities through digital innovations such as the metaverse.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SONY | SONY GROUP CORP. | 19.06 | -0.01 | -0.05% |
| HMC | HONDA MOTOR CO. LTD. | 26.66 | +0.44 | +1.68% |
Sony Honda Mobility has a total of 10 billion yen ($68.23 million) in available capital.
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Prior to teaming up with Honda, Sony showed off a concept electric sedan dubbed the Vision-S during the Consumer Electronics Show in 2020. In January, the company introduced the Vision-S 02, an electric sport utility vehicle (SUV).
Sony's Vision-S prototype car is photographed at the company's headquarters in Tokyo on Mar. 4, 2022.
Honda has set a goal to roll out 30 electric vehicle models globally and produce two million EVs per year by 2030.
Reuters contributed to this report