Sony and Honda's joint venture company will soon produce its first electric vehicle (EV) in the US.
The two companies have recently announced that they had established their joint venture company, Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM) - a company aiming to be a "Mobility Tech Company."
Sony and Honda previously confirmed the creation of a joint venture between them in early June, with Sony saying that SHM may host a public share sale in the foreseeable future.
Sony Honda Mobility Production Details
Sony and Honda mentioned in a press conference that the company created by their joint venture, SHM, will integrate the knowledge both companies have to build the company's first EV.
According to Sony's announcement, SHM will begin accepting pre-orders for its first EV in the first half of 2025, while its sales will commence before the year's end. Meanwhile, the delivery of its first EV will start in the US in Spring 2026, while its deliveries in Japan, its home base, will start in the second half of the same year.
According to The Verge's report, SHM chose the US as its first market due to its "well-developed taste" for EVs. Additionally, although SHM didn't mention if its first EV will be available in Europe come 2026, The Verge reports that it could happen.
Yasuhide Mizumo, SHM's chairman, mentioned that the EV will be priced at "a reasonable amount" that matched the "added high-value" of their components.
What To Expect From SHM's First EV
A "reasonable price" is not the only thing customers should look forward to when it comes to SHM's first EV. The car is also expected to provide passengers with a pleasant mobility space based on safe and secure technologies.
SHM's EVs are also expected to have Level 3 automated drive under limited conditions to provide Level 2+ driver assistance in situations like urban driving.
For those unaware, Level 3 automated drive provides the driver limited driving automation, per Synopsis. As such, the driver should still be attentive and alert behind the wheel to wrest control back from the EV's computer and correct its heading if necessary.
Aside from limited autonomous driving and mobility space, SHM's car is expected to be not just a means of transportation, but also an entertainment and emotional space.
As such, the EV will come equipped with a high-performance System on a Chip 1 with a total processing power exceeding 800 Tera Operations Per Second 2.
You may remember that Sony previously revealed it is developing an EV line called VISION-S that may provide mobility and entertainment simultaneously.
Sony wants its VISION-S car to feature 40 CMOS image sensors to monitor the car's safety, 5G connectivity, and entertainment systems, consisting of Sony's 360 reality audio, gaming capabilities, and BRAVIA Core.
If SHM will bring the VISION-S or something like the VISION-S to reality, it will be aligned with its goal of becoming a software-oriented "mobility tech company" aiming to "move people through the pursuit of innovation with diverse inspirations."
