Honda and Sony will work together to design and build EVs. To this end, the two companies will set up a joint venture together, which for the time being will be known as ‘New Company’. Honda takes care of the manufacturing, Sony does the software side. The first model should roll off the production line in 2025.
Currently, the partnership between Honda and Sony only consists of a letter of intent. However, the two sides want to move quickly. The joint venture must be set up this year and the two parties will conclude binding contracts. Over the next three years, the New Company plans, design, develop and eventually sell the new EV from 2025. The joint venture will not have its own factories, so Honda will be responsible for manufacturing the first fashion model. Sony is working on a ‘mobility service platform’, which should become an extensive infotainment system and software package.
The two parties say that the joint venture wants to “bring together the strengths of the two companies”. For Sony as a tech company, it’s potentially a great way to get into the auto industry quickly. It is not yet known what the new EV that should result from the collaboration will look like.
It is quite conceivable that the first model of ‘New Company’ will resemble the Sony Vision-S 01 or 02, two study models that Sony is working on with its car branch Sony Mobility. Until now, Sony had not yet found a partner with whom it could take the cars into production. Honda’s expertise can come in handy here. It is also possible that Sony will continue with Sony Mobility separately from the joint venture, but nothing is known about that yet.
The car shown is the Sony Vision S-01.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl