SIGNALS

Trinitron, Betamax, Walkman, PlayStation, Compact Disc, MiniDisc, Blu-ray — and EV. Yes, you read that right. In the not-so-distant future, you can pre-order your Sony Electric Vehicle. With a little help (or maybe a lot) from Honda, the proud block-letter logo of our favorite electronics company can now reside in your garage. And I'm not talking about that old Trinitron in the corner of the garage that you keep meaning to recycle.

Alert readers will recall that we previously speculated on Sony's ambitions regarding the EV market. We wondered, would Sony (A) Ambitiously build its own vehicle? (B) Partner with a car maker? (C) If so, which one? (D) Or just forget the whole thing? The answer, it turns out, is (B), (C) and Honda.

That seems to make sense. Lots of carmakers, start-ups and established, are licking their electrodes to get into what appears to be The Next Big Thing. Whether it's a public clamoring for EVs or governments mandating them or the price of gas, it increasingly appears that in the near future, you and I will be plugging in. And everyone wants a piece of that pie. Including Sony, which is no stranger to things that plug in.

So, Sony has partnered with Honda create Sony Honda Mobility Inc. The company will develop and sell EVs. They will open pre-orders for the first vehicle in the first half of 2025 for delivery in the U.S. in the first half of 2026. In Elon Musk years, that would be 2036, but in Sony/Honda years, it might actually be 2026. Details are scarce or nonexistent. We do know that, logically, Honda will manufacture the vehicle (in Honda's Ohio factory), while Sony will provide the mobility services platform. The latter contribution might seem to be of secondary importance, but that might be a short-sighted view.

Future EVs will have a certain sameness to them, and less technical diversity will make it harder to market one over another. An EV with whiz-bang cool entertainment and infotainment and name-brand recognition (SONY) could provide just the individuality that puts it above its peers. And who knows where the evolution of mobile electronics will take it as the technology evolves. In other words, Sony's contributions to this new EV will be important.

And let's be clear: This isn't just a Honda EV with a Sony radio. Honda will indeed develop and manufacture its own EVs apart from Sony. This joint venture is another corporate animal, and will operate separately from those projects, producing its own vehicles. You can read a recent Sony Honda Mobility Inc. press release here and the company's website is here.

I am genuinely intrigued by this joint venture. So far, EVs have not sparked my enthusiasm. But among its peers, Sony's long-term history and credibility in entertainment electronics is perhaps without rival. A Honda tricked out with the best Sony gear might be darn impressive.

So, get that old Trinitron to a recycling center and clear up some extra garage space. Your new stereo/home theater/gaming cave/Zoom business center/artificial reality driving pod-thing is getting ready to roll into your garage.