In Las Vegas, Sony also unveiled a new prototype of its Vision-S electric car, presented two years ago in Nevada. Called Vision-S 02, this model takes the form of a family SUV.
At a time of ecological transition, electric cars are increasingly whetting the appetites of technological giants. Confirmation at CES in Las Vegas with the Japanese group Sony, known more for its televisions and PlayStation game consoles than its mobility projects, which announced the spring launch of Sony Mobility Inc. This is a new subsidiary responsible for studying the possibilities for the Japanese company to invest in the electric vehicle market.
For now, the outlines of the project have not been specified. Sony CEO Kenichiro Yoshida simply said in Las Vegas that the Japanese giant “explore a commercial launch” of electric cars. We will therefore have to wait for the official creation of Sony Mobility Inc. to know a little more about the means deployed by the group to make a place for itself in the very competitive sector of electric vehicles. In the absence of the expertise and production capacities of an automobile manufacturer, Sony will be able to rely on its technological skills to offer connected interiors.
Sony sees the car as “an entertainment space”
This is what the group widely put forward during its press conference at CES. In parallel with the announcement of the launch of its entity dedicated to electric vehicles, Sony has also lifted the veil on a new prototype of its Vision-S electric car presented two years ago in Nevada. Called Vision-S 02, this model takes the form of a family SUV.
Whether for this vehicle or the electric sedan unveiled in 2020, Sony insists on the technological potential of its prototypes, failing to indicate their technical specificities. “With our imaging and sensing, cloud, 5G and entertainment technologies combined with our mastery of content, we believe Sony is well positioned as a creative entertainment company to redefine mobility.”, declared Kenichiro Yoshida. Seeing tomorrow’s car like “an entertainment space”, the Japanese group intends to offer its customers 360 ° speakers or the possibility of playing the PlayStation.
Tesla, world leader who delivered 1 million vehicles in 2021
In the electric car market, Sony will nevertheless have to work together to stand out. And in particular to face the Chinese group Xiaomi, which plans to invest 10 billion dollars to launch into the production of electric vehicles, with a first model which could see the light of day in 2023.
For now, the world leader in the sector is none other than Tesla, which delivered nearly 1 million electric vehicles in 2021. The most valued car manufacturer in the world ($ 1,150 billion on the Nasdaq), the company Elon Musk is leading the way in front of historical players like General Motors, which plans to invest more than $ 35 billion in electric and autonomous vehicles by 2025, and Toyota, which has committed an envelope of 70 billion to electrify its cars by 2030.