CR-V

Make
Honda
Segment
SUV

Honda and Sony are on a mission to bring EVs to America and the latest news indicates US dealerships could play a major role in servicing these vehicles. Speaking to the media at an event in Japan, Chief Financial Officer Kohei Takeuchi said a new sales model is coming, and it's sounding like it'll be quite unique. "It will be something unconventional, not Sony, not Honda, but something new," Takeuchi said. This suggests that we will see a change from the traditional dealer model and possibly something different from the direct sales model employed by Tesla.

While details are still being worked out, the CFO indicated the automaker's 1,000+ US dealers will be in a prime position to handle EV servicing. Honda and Sony announced a major partnership earlier this year, called Sony Honda Mobility, which will see the two companies jointly develop electric vehicles.

It's a smart move for both, especially for Honda, since it's lagging behind some rivals when it comes to electrification. Assuming all goes to plan, the first EV from the partnership will go on sale in America in 2026. Some of those vehicles might be built in Ohio, already a major manufacturing center for the Japanese carmaker.

Equally important, US Honda dealers have expressed great interest in taking part in the new venture. Honda is thrilled because North America continues to lag behind in its global recovery plans due to the ongoing semiconductor chip shortage. Normally hot-selling models like the Honda CR-V and Civic remain in short supply but overall demand remains high. There are also concerns regarding inflation and a recession.

The Honda-Sony partnership, while it does not offer an immediate solution, does provide hope for the future. Fortunately, Takeuchi is confident "the worst part of the period is over" in regards to the chip shortage but other supply chain issues remain.

But the good news comes following Honda Motor Co.'s financial results for the second fiscal quarter. Thanks to solid foreign exchange rate gains, the carmaker's operating profit increased by 16% to $1.6 billion during that time. This success came, in part, because of the yen's weakened state against the US dollar, resulting in nearly $616 million in revenue from July to September.