Honda and Sony announced a new joint venture named Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) earlier this year, and this week announced more details on their plans to build their first electric vehicle.
While speaking at a press conference on Thursday Chairman and CEO Yasuhide Mizuno and President and COO Izumi Kawanishi announced SHM will build a premium electric vehicle in the United States.
Preorders are scheduled to begin in early 2025, followed by sales in late 2025, all of which will be done online, similar to Tesla’s sales model. That will all eventually lead to the first deliveries in the US in the spring of 2026, and in Japan in the second half of 2026.
With such a long timeframe before its release, no details were provided on whether it will be a sedan, SUV, or truck, its possible range, price, or any other details surrounding the future EV.
While those details weren’t available, it was said that Sony will provide the software for the new EV, as well as some hardware in the form of sensors and other technology that will allow for Level 3 autonomous driving, where the driver can perform other tasks while still remaining attentive to the road.
The company is focusing to make those other tasks related to entertainment options through the cloud, as well as creating a revenue stream with subscription services in the car.
“As safe driving technology will continue to evolve and the amount of concentration required to drive will be reduced, we should consider new ways to enjoy and spend time in the cabin space as a whole,” Kawanishi said.
No details were provided on where exactly in the US the new EV will be built, but a likely contender is Honda’s plant in Ohio. Building it in the US will likely also give SHM access to EV tax credits created under the new Inflation Reduction Act (IRA).
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