Sony Honda Mobility, the joint electric vehicle venture, has significant plans to compete in the growing EV market. Although the JV doesn’t have an EV model to show yet, the partners are already looking for ways to challenge top EV makers like Tesla by centering it around entertainment, which Sony is known for.
Sony has been teasing its Vision S EV concept for several years as it inches closer to a commercial launch. The tech company has insisted on having superior entertainment and software that can provide the building blocks for technology like autonomous driving.
Meanwhile, Sony’s CFO said the company would not be “making batteries or vehicles” by themselves. Instead, they were focusing on establishing a partnership with an existing automaker.
In June, Sony and Honda established a joint venture with the intention of building a new electric vehicle company called (you wouldn’t have guessed it) Sony Honda Mobility.
Although Honda has been relatively late to the rapidly expanding EV market, the automaker has stepped up its efforts recently. In October, Honda revealed its first mass-market EV SUV, the Prologue, set to make its US debut in 2024 using GM’s Ultium platform.
The new Sony Honda Mobility JV is planning to release its first EV in 2025, and despite not having a brand strategy, the company is already looking at ways to utilize its strengths to compete with the best.
Sony Vision S concept (Source: Sony)
Sony Honda Mobility EV to include top-tier entertainment options like PS5
In a new interview with Financial Times, Sony Honda Mobility leaders explained how the JV could leverage Sony’s powerful technology to challenge EV competitors like Tesla.
Senior Vice President of Sony’s AI robotics business and COO of Sony’s new business venture, Izumi Kawanishi, explains how adding content and entertainment services to the EV can help them compete, stating:
Sony has content, services and entertainment technologies that move people. We are adapting these assets to mobility, and this is our strength against Tesla.
He adds that “Tesla is not providing any content services,” and that including a PlayStation 5 in the Sony Honda Mobility EV is “technologically possible.”
Leaders from the newly established joint venture insist that the company’s electric vehicles will focus on entertainment, as new CEO, Yasuhide Mizuno, explains:
We will develop a car as hardware that will cater to the entertainment and network we would like to offer.
Electrek’s Take
It’s no surprise to see Sony leveraging its entertainment and content to “upgrade” the driving experience. However, some sort of autonomous driving ability will need to be included to truly take advantage of the entertainment.
To that extent, Kawanishi adds:
To enjoy the space in your car, you have to make it a space where you don’t need to drive. The solution for this is autonomous driving. Autonomous driving will have to evolve considerably from the current level to get to that point, and it will take time for that to happen.
With this in mind, Sony Honda Mobility adding entertainment options is one way to gain a competitive advantage in the EV market. Still, for it to be usable, the technology will most likely need more time to develop.
Even if you are able to play your favorite video games, if the car doesn’t drive itself, it will only be functional for passengers or while you are pulled over.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss electricity becoming the base currency, Tesla Robotaxi crashes, the new Porsche Cayenne EV, and more.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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Wallbox is ramping up its partnership with distributor Codale Electric Supply to roll out more EV chargers across the Mountain West, a region that’s seeing a rapid escalation of electrification programs and regional highway corridor build-outs.
Codale has become one of Wallbox’s most active distributors over the past two years, helping contractors, developers, and fleet operators procure Wallbox gear while also providing technical support and logistics. Now the two companies are scaling both AC and DC fast charging across Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and Nevada.
Under the new agreement, Codale will prioritize Wallbox Supernova DC fast chargers and Pulsar Family AC chargers. Codale is already coordinating upgrades of older charging systems and installing new ones across public, commercial, and multifamily sites. Early projects include collaborations with several charge point operators and large commercial portfolios, some of which are rolling out Supernova units in Q4.
The Mountain West has become a hotspot for charging expansion, and Wallbox and Codale say their partnership is designed to keep pace by streamlining installation and improving network reliability.
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Ignasi Alastuey, Wallbox’s chief business officer, said, “This partnership combines Wallbox’s innovation with Codale’s on-the-ground capabilities to rapidly scale charging networks across the Mountain West and set a new benchmark for EV infrastructure growth.”
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EcoFlow launches next Black Friday Sale phase with up to 80% off expanded lineup – starts from $149
EcoFlow has officially switched to its next Black Friday Sale phase of deals with up to 80% discounts, plenty of FREE gifts, bonus savings, and more. Among the new lineup, we spotted EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro Portable Power Station bundled with 2x 220W solar panels and a FREE protective bag at $1,699 shipped, which is not only being exclusively offered direct from the brand, but is also dropping things lower than ever. One thing to note here is that, sadly, the extra savings code isn’t valid on this bundle. It would normally run you $5,199 for everything (including the $99 bag), with the bagless bundle at Amazon keeping lower at a starting rate of $3,999 and only dropping to $1,999 right now. This deal comes in $100 under its previous offer during the brand’s Halloween Sale, giving you a total $2,300 off the going rate ($3,500 off the MSRP) for the best new price that we have tracked anywhere. Be sure to head below to check out the newest phase of full Black Friday deals.
EcoFlow’s DELTA Pro power station is among the most beloved and highly rated backup power solutions from under the brand’s flag, and this solar bundle is quite the setup to grab now that it’s fallen so low in price. Covering away-from-home trips, as well as at-home emergencies, this station starts at a 3,600Wh LiFePO4 capacity that you can expand up to its 25kWh max with further investments. Your devices and appliances can receive up to 3,600W of regular power through the 14 output ports, with it even surging as high as 7,200W for those larger appliances that need more. You’ll be 440W closer to reaching its 1,600W max solar input, thanks to the bundled panels, with additional options for recharging from an AC outlet, as well as your car’s auxiliary port (or by using a compatible alternator charger).
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***Note: EcoFlow is continuing the usage of the promo code 25EFBFAFF at checkout for an extra 5% savings off your cart’s total, with none of the prices below having it factored in. Keep in mind that a number of offers are ineligible to receive the extra savings, but be sure to try it at checkout to ensure you’re getting the best possible savings during EcoFlow’s Black Friday Sale!
EcoFlow’s other direct Black Friday website-only deals/bundles:
RAPID Mag Qi2 10,000mAh 15W magnetic power bank: $55 (Reg. $90)
RAPID Mag Qi2.2 10,000mAh 25W magnetic power bank with built-in cable: $70 (Reg. $100)
DELTA 2 (2,048Wh) with extra battery and 2x 110W panels: $899 (Reg. $2,646)
Save thousands for Black Friday on Samsung smart washer/dryers, refrigerators, ovens, and more starting from $269
As part of Samsung’s ongoing Black Friday Sale event, we’re seeing deals that can save you hundreds to thousands of dollars on the smartest home appliance upgrades, including the Bespoke AI All-in-One Ventless Washer/Dryer Combo at $1,999 shipped, which is actually going for $110 less at Best Buy. There’s also the newer Vented Bespoke AI All-in-One Combo at $1,999 shipped, which you won’t find at Best Buy. The ventless model normally fetches $3,299 without discounts ($3,099 for the vented counterpart) direct from the brand, and starts lower at $2,970 at Best Buy, with 2025 having seen it more often down at $2,199 during sales. While we have seen it go lower in the past, especially 2024, you’re otherwise looking at the best prices we have tracked this year, letting you upgrade to a smarter way to do laundry with up to $1,300 savings, or save more by going with Samsung’s open-box option for $1,599 on the washer/dryer’s sale page down on the right-side options.
Alongside the washer/dryer combos above, we’ve curated a full list of Samsung’s best Black Friday appliance deals on other washers, dryers, refrigerators, ovens, dishwashers, and more that you can browse by checking out our original coverage of this sale here.
Autel’s MaxiCharger AC Lite level 2 EV charger grants up to 50A speeds at new $398 Black Friday low (Save $171)
Lectric XP4 Standard Folding Utility e-bikes with $326 bundle: $999 (Reg. $1,325)
Lectric XP Lite 2.0 Long-Range e-bikes with $449 bundles: $999 (Reg. $1,448)
Heybike Mars 2.0 Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with Black Friday gift: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
Heybike Ranger S Folding Fat-Tire e-bike with Black Friday gift: $999 (Reg. $1,499)
Best new Green Deals landing this week
The savings this week are also continuing to a collection of other markdowns. To the same tune as the offers above, these all help you take a more energy-conscious approach to your routine. Winter means you can lock in even better off-season price cuts on electric tools for the lawn while saving on EVs and tons of other gear.