Elon Musk may face stiff competition in the near future. Sony and Honda have announced plans to launch a new firm to jointly develop and market electric automobiles.
The new business, which is anticipated to be formed later this year, will begin selling its first electric vehicle in 2025. Honda will build the first model, while Sony will provide the mobility service platform.
“While Sony and Honda have many historical and cultural commonalities, our areas of technological competence are significantly distinct,” remarked Toshihiro Mibe, director, president, and CEO of Honda. “As a result, I think that this agreement, which brings together the assets of our two firms, provides exciting prospects for the future of mobility.”
Sony unveiled its latest concept EV, the Vision-S 02 SUV, during this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas in January.
The prototype “accommodates varied ideals and lifestyles,” according to the tech giant. It’s about the same size as the Tesla Model Y and can seat up to seven people. The dual-motor powertrain configuration provides all-wheel drive and 536 horsepower. The SUV has a max speed of more than 112 miles per hour. Sony has yet to confirm the size and range of the vehicle’s battery.
The Vision-S 02 is built on the same EV/cloud architecture as its predecessor, the Vision-S 01, which Sony introduced at CES 2020. Later that year, it began testing the car on public roads in Europe.
Between 2010 and 2020, global EV sales climbed from zero to 10.2 million, according to the International Energy Agency. In only one year, 6.4 million EVs were sold, a 26 percent increase.
Large technology corporations, like as Sony, are progressively getting into the EV industry. Many of them have already worked in the car industry in some capacity, developing components like as audio systems and console interfaces for EVs. Many of the electronics businesses currently manufacture the lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars.
Apple is one such corporation that has been working on an EV idea since 2014. According to rumors, Apple will unveil the Apple Car this year, with a 2025 launch date.