Sony and Honda to build electric cars in the US from 2026

Sony and Honda have formally inaugurated a joint venture to produce electric vehicles.

The entity, known as Sony Honda Mobility, will produce its first vehicle in the United States, with exports across the globe – including Japan, opening the door to Australia.

It will be headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. The electric vehicles will commence production in early 2026, with sales in the United States and Japan soon after.

Pre-orders will open in 2025, with sales and vehicle configuration to have an online focus – perhaps with a central delivery centre and a minuscule in-person presence in major shopping centres.

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Sony Honda Mobility says it will provide a “personalised post-sales customer experience” and invite customers to assist with the product development process.

A teaser video was published overnight, providing shadowy clues about Sony Honda’s first electric vehicle.

It is expected to be previewed by a concept vehicle set to debut at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show in January.

That preview car will follow-up the Vision-S 01 sedan and Vision-S 02 SUV concepts, which debuted at CES 2021 and 2022 respectively.

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The latest announcement follows the initial plans detailed in March, when the iconic Japanese brands first joined forces.

Honda will be responsible for manufacturing the new model, while Sony will supply a ‘mobility service platform’, likely for areas such as autonomous driving sensors, infotainment, telecommunications, and other aspects that the technology company is known for.

Honda Motor Corporation CEO Toshihiro Mibe said the new company “will aim to stand at the forefront of innovation, evolution, and expansion of mobility around the world, by taking a broad and ambitious approach to creating value that exceeds the expectations and imagination of customers.”

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“We will do so by leveraging Honda’s cutting-edge technology and know-how in relation to the environment and safety, while aligning the technological assets of both companies,” he added.

The official mission of the mobility company is to 'help realise a world where everyone can live in harmony with robots on a daily basis, fill people with emotion, and contribute to society'.

“Through this alliance with Honda, which has accumulated extensive global experience and achievements in the automobile industry over many years and continues to make revolutionary advancements in this field… [Sony will] contribute to the evolution of mobility centred around safety, entertainment and adaptability,” said Kenichiro Yoshida, president and CEO of Sony Corporation.