Japanese carmakers are very worried about how quickly Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) are developing, said Yasuhide Mizuno, head of Sony-Honda’s joint venture. He warned that Japan’s companies might fall behind if they do not innovate faster. Mizuno, who used to lead Honda’s China operations, said Japanese carmakers need to change their slow, careful approach to keep up with China, which has become a major car exporter in just a few years.
Honda has been slow in the race to make electric cars, even though it plans to stop selling petrol cars by 2040. To stay competitive, Honda teamed up with Nissan in March to develop electric cars. The joint venture between Honda and Sony, created in 2022, aims to combine Honda’s car-making skills with Sony’s software and entertainment know-how. They plan to start selling their electric car in North America by 2026.
Mizuno noted that Chinese companies, with strong government support and top engineers, can develop electric cars in just 18 months, less than half the time it takes in Japan. He said Japanese companies should not relax even though the US has increased tariffs on Chinese electric cars, effectively keeping them out of the market.
Despite a recent slowdown, Mizuno expects EV sales to dominate the US, Chinese, and European markets by 2035. Sony benefits from this joint venture by getting closer to car manufacturing and boosting sales of image sensors. Some analysts question what Honda gains from the partnership, but Mizuno believes Honda will benefit from Sony’s expertise in software development, which he sees as crucial for future car design.
