Honda's U.S. dealers won't sell electric cars made with Sony, but will service them

Honda’s dealerships in the United States will likely not be responsible for selling the electric vehicles produced as part of the Honda-Sony partnership. Instead, it is expected that Honda will pursue an online approach to selling these EVs.

After the two companies announced their collaboration, U.S. dealerships began to question how they would be involved in the process. Honda's chief financial officer Kohei Takeuchi said that a new sales model will be used, which may mean that dealers will only be able to service the new EVs.

"It will be something unconventional, not Sony, not Honda, but something new," Takeuchi said of the sales process.

Honda is looking to sell its EVs online with the help of Sony. Takeuchi commented that there are many benefits to this approach, including the large network of U.S. dealers who can provide services for these vehicles.

Sony Honda Mobility Inc's first model will be built in the United States with production starting in 2026. While we don't have many details about this model yet, Sony is expected to manage the car's entertainment system, cloud-based software, and sensors needed for autonomous driving. The vehicle should be able to drive itself Level 2+ in most circumstances and Level 3 autonomy under certain conditions.

Source: Automotive News