Sony and Honda plan to start selling their electric cars in the US in 2026

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The jointly-developed EVs will distinguish themselves with a focus on in-car software and entertainment. The first cars will be built in Honda’s US plants.

A photograph of a sleek, sliver SUV, designed by Sony.

Sony’s prototype Vision-S 02 SUV, unveiled at CES 2022 as a platform for developing Sony’s EV technology.
Image: Sony

Sony and Honda have announced that they plan to start selling their jointly-developed electric vehicles in the US in early 2026.

The US has been chosen as the first market because of its well-developed taste for EVs. The cars will then go on sale in Japan later the same year, and then, perhaps, in Europe. Preorders for the vehicles will open in 2025, with sales and vehicle customization pushed through online channels.

The two Japanese companies announced they would be working together on a new 50-50 venture earlier this year, with the company later named Sony Honda Mobility. The alliance is intended to unite Honda’s expertise in car manufacture with Sony’s prowess in the fields of sensors, software, and entertainment. The companies hope that by joining forces they can catch up with newer EV manufacturers, like Tesla in the US and China’s BYD.

An image showing the interior of an SUV from the back seat. There are screens on the rear of the headsets and a long horizontal screen replacing the entirety of the dashboard.

An image showing the interior of an SUV from the back seat. There are screens on the rear of the headsets and a long horizontal screen replacing the entirety of the dashboard.
The Sony-Honda cars will be distinguished by their software and entertainment systems. This image shows the interior of Sony’s prototype Vision S-02 SUV.
Image: Sony

“The first delivery [of vehicles] is expected to be in North America in the spring of 2026. In Japan, delivery is planned to begin in the second half of 2026,” Yasuhide Mizuno, chairman of Honda Mobility, told reporters at a news conference, according to Nikkei Asia.

Mizuno added that the cars would be priced at “a reasonable amount” that matched the “added high-value” of their components.

Sony exec Izumi Kawanishi stressed that the development of the vehicles would focus “on the value of mobile space, not only as a physical means of transportation, but also as an entertainment and emotional space.” In other words: in-vehicle software and entertainment systems will be a key selling feature. It’s in this area that rivals like Tesla have managed to distinguish themselves from traditional automakers, aggressively marketing their driver assist technology and adding gimmicky features like in-car video games.

Production of the Sony-Honda cars will take place at one of Honda’s 12 facilities in the United States, though no details have been shared on planned volume. AP News reports that the companies say the first vehicles are not intended for mass sales.

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