Today Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and Sony Group Corporation announced in a press release that they have agreed to form a strategic alliance to develop new technologies for electric vehicles and mobile services.
In a joint statement released earlier today, Honda and Sony said: “Specifically, both companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding outlining their intention to establish a joint venture (“New Company”) through which they plan to participate in joint development. and sales of high value-added battery electric vehicles (EVs) and their commercialization coupled with the provision of mobility services.”
The statement said that Honda and Sony will continue to negotiate various binding agreements, including a joint development agreement and a joint venture agreement. The new company could be established before the end of the year, which is the goal of both companies in the partnership.
Honda’s decades of experience in the automotive industry and Sony’s expertise in imaging, sensors, telecommunications, networking and entertainment are focused on “realizing next-generation mobility and services that are intimately connected to users and the environment and continue to evolve into the future.”
“Sony’s goal is to ‘fill the world with emotion through creativity and technology,'” said the CEO of Sony Group Corp. Kenichiro Yoshida. “Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated extensive global experience and achievements in the automotive industry over the years and continues to make revolutionary advances in the field, we intend to develop our vision to “make the mobility space emotional.” and promote mobility based on safety, fun and adaptability.”
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It is expected that sales of the first electric car from Sony-Honda will begin in 2025. The new company will be responsible for planning, designing, developing and selling electric vehicles, but will not own or operate a manufacturing facility. The EV model will be produced by 31 Honda factories around the world. In addition, Sony is expected to develop a mobile services platform.
“The new company will strive to be at the forefront of innovation, evolution and the expansion of mobility around the world by taking a broad and ambitious approach to creating value that exceeds customer expectations and imagination,” said Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe. “We will do this by leveraging Honda’s advanced technology and environmental and safety know-how, and by combining the technology assets of both companies. While Sony and Honda share a lot of historical and cultural similarities, our areas of technological expertise are very different. Therefore, I believe that this alliance, which brings together the strengths of our two companies, offers great opportunities for the future of mobility.”
Sony had obvious plans to join the EV sector and develop vehicles, showing off the Vision-S 02 prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this year. According to Car and Driver, Sony is testing Level 2 autonomy systems in Europe on the Vision S 01 sedan, which was unveiled last year.
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Honda and Sony agree on partnership to develop electric vehicles, first deliveries in 2025
