The companies are working together on a series of electric vehicles to be sold under both brands
The first models from this collaboration will be built in a US Honda factory
These vehicles will mostly be sold online
The collaboration between Honda and Sony will lead to a new lineup of electric vehicles that will be introduced in 2026.
The joint venture chose to prioritize the North American market because EVs enjoy a rapid gain in popularity in the US and Canada and also because it is the largest global market for Honda.
This is why the first vehicles to be made by the alliance will be manufactured in an American factory, which will even supply the units sold in Japan.
Few details are known about these vehicles as of now, but executives at the company have stated that they are not aiming at a large production scale but rather focussing on making a vehicle with high added value. This means that the first models to come from Sony-Honda Mobility are likely to be luxury EVs.
Also, rumours say that the upcoming models will use batteries supplied by Honda’s current partners such as LG and General Motors.
2024 Honda Prologue Teaser | Photo: Honda
The two companies have partnered to benefit from each other’s strengths, which is why Honda will be responsible for the manufacturing of the vehicle while Sony will develop all of its software.
In addition, Sony hinted that its large library of music and film could be accessible through the infotainment system it will develop specially for these models.
This new infotainment system could also make it possible for Honda to change its business model in order to rely on recurring subscription fees for features and software, such as a few automakers have already introduced.
Furthermore, Honda will use these vehicles to develop an online sales model similar to Tesla, Polestar and a number of other EV makers in order to do away with dealerships.
Despite saying it doesn’t aim for a large sales volume, Honda is targeting sales of 800,000 EVs in North America by 2030 across all of its models, not only those made with Sony.
The first deliveries of the Sony-Honda EVs are set to take place in North America during the spring of 2026, while the Japanese introduction is planned for a few months after that. As of now, there are no plans of selling these vehicles in Europe.
