Honda and Sony have agreed to make electric vehicles together. The motor and the electronic business agreed to make a “New Company” that is producing electric vehicles, including motorbikes. The first product is expected by 2025.
This accord between this two multinationals, is made because Sony has been sending signals that it wants to be on motoring industry, they have shown concepts version of the the Vision-S 01 sedan and Vision-S 02 SUV. But the company knows that they don’t have the infrastructures and experience in building vehicles. So they made contact with Honda and accorded to create a “New Company” together, as they said.
This announcement says that both companies “plan to engage in the joint development and sales of high value-added battery electric vehicles (EVs) and commercialize them in conjunction with providing mobility services”. Maybe this announce looks like the companies are taking a risk, but it mix the Honda’s experience on building, sales cars and all of the industry knowledge, with Sony’s “development and application of imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and entertainment technologies”, as the technology company said.
The vehicles will be co-developed by both companies via this “New Company”, how will “plan, design, develop, and sell the EVs, but not own and operate manufacturing facilities”, with that final distinction being key.
For the initial vehicles expected to launch by 2025, Honda will be building the cars at its existing manufacturing facilities. And Sony will be supplying a new “mobility service platform” for the cars as well, so they sound like they will be providing a new driver assistance technology.
Honda have not mentioned anything about how this agreement can impacts in Honda’s future plans, especially EV plans, or even what will be the name of this “New Company”. But we know that Sony can bring to the motoring world a new vision about the technology and we will see what they can contribute in this sector.
Adrian Delgado
