They intend to market them from 2025.
© AFP
Sony presented a new prototype of its Vision S electric car in early January and then announced the creation of a new subsidiary to explore this growing market.
Electronics giant Sony and automaker Honda on Friday announced plans to form a “strategic alliance” to develop and produce electric vehicles and market them from 2025.
joint venture
The two Japanese groups plan to found a joint venture this year to develop and sell “high value-added battery electric vehicles” and provide mobility services together, according to a joint statement. This new company must imagine, develop and sell the electric vehicles, but Honda will be responsible for manufacturing the first model in its own factories, according to the press release. Sony will for its part develop a platform dedicated to mobility services.
“Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated significant global experience and prowess in the automotive industry over many years”, Sony “wishes to develop its vision of making the space of mobility an emotional space”, commented its CEO Kenichiro Yoshida, quoted in the press release.
Great possibilities for the future
“While Sony and Honda have many historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technology expertise are very different. This is why I believe that this alliance, by combining the strengths of our two companies, will offer great possibilities for the future of mobility”, estimated for his part Toshihiro Mibe, general manager of Honda.
The Japanese automaker, one of the world’s pioneers of fuel cell vehicles, set itself an ambitious goal last year of 100% sales of electric vehicles worldwide by 2040, and colossal investments in research and development over six years. Sony had meanwhile presented in early January at the CES technology show in Las Vegas a new prototype of its electric car Vision S and then announced the creation of a new subsidiary to explore this growing market.