From PlayStations to SUVs: Sony joins the electric car race
Japanese tech giant unveiled the Vision-S 02 at CES 2022
The global automotive industry had a bit of a bumpy ride in 2021 and it “may never be the same” after massive changes were sparked by supply chain issues and the coronavirus pandemic, CNBC reported. The sector suffered “historically low” vehicle inventories – most notably due to a shortage of semiconductor chips – but also record pricing and profits amid “resilient consumer demand” and a lack of available cars and trucks.
While the auto industry is facing a “plethora of disruptions” on various fronts, some of these issues are actually “shaping it up for the future”, the Hindustan Times said. One such topic driving change is electrification.
There was a greater level of electric vehicle (EV) adoption in 2021 as consumers looked to reduce their carbon footprint. And booming EV sales in the UK were a “bright spot in a tough car market”, The Guardian said.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 190,000 battery electric cars were sold across the UK last year – this was about 11.6% of total sales and more than the five previous years combined.
Tesla Model 3 tops the UK sales chart
SMMT’s annual snapshot revealed that Tesla’s Model 3 was the best-selling car in the UK in December, with 9,612 sold. It was also Britain’s second best-selling new car of any kind in 2021, with 34,783 units sold. Now valued at more than $1trn, Tesla is “leading the race” and the Model 3 is on course to become Europe’s best-selling EV, Euronews reported.
Almost every major automaker has unveiled a “grand strategy to shift to electric-only or at least electric-majority sales”, The Verge said. Volvo, Mercedes and Rolls-Royce are doing it by 2030, General Motors by 2040, and Volkswagen by 2050.
But it’s not just the traditional auto companies who are joining the crowded EV race – a number of technology firms also have grand plans.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Sony explores entry into the EV market
This week at the CES 2022 expo, Japanese tech giant Sony unveiled the Vision-S 02 – an SUV prototype vehicle that it “actually wants to build”, said CNET. The Vision-S 02 uses the same EV/cloud platform as the prototype Vision-S 01, an all-electric four-door sedan prototype unveiled two years ago. In fact, Sony has “already been testing its vehicles on public roads in Europe since December 2020”, GSMArena.com added.
“Buoyed” by PlayStation and Spider-Man success, Sony has established “excellence” in consumer electronics and entertainment, said Ian King on Sky News. There is “no guarantee it will be able to crack the electric vehicle market”, however, judging by the company’s comments at CES it is “clearly thinking hard about it”.
Sony confirmed that it will establish an operating company – Sony Mobility Inc – this spring, through which it intends to explore entry into the EV market.
On the news that it will set up the new unit, shares in Sony “jumped by more than 4%” on the Tokyo stock market, King added. “That response accentuates the faith investors have in Japan’s second-biggest company to deliver on something when it puts its mind to it.”
Kenichiro Yoshida, Sony’s chief executive, said the company had been “encouraged” by the excitement received after the announcement of the earlier Vision-S 01 prototype. With its “imaging and sensing, cloud, 5G and entertainment technologies combined with content mastery”, Yoshida believes Sony is “well positioned as a creative entertainment company to redefine mobility”.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Mike Starling is the former digital features editor at The Week. He started his career in 2001 in Gloucestershire as a sports reporter and sub-editor and has held various roles as a writer and editor at news, travel and B2B publications. He has spoken at a number of sports business conferences and also worked as a consultant creating sports travel content for tourism boards. International experience includes spells living and working in Dubai, UAE; Brisbane, Australia; and Beirut, Lebanon.
-
Why are meteorologists worried Trump could ruin their forecasts?
Today's Big Question How a conservative push to dismantle a little-known government agency could lead to big headaches for anyone hoping to get a handle on their local weather
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Such wrongdoing encourages foreign corrupt practices'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published
-
Can Japan's new prime minister govern effectively?
In The Spotlight A 'popular gadfly' gets the top job
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
How Black female science fiction and fantasy writers are upending the narrative
The Week Recommends There may be only a few making waves. But their effect has been seismic.
By Scott Hocker, The Week US Published
-
Best UK literary festivals and book fairs in 2023
feature A look at some the biggest events for book lovers in Britain in 2023
By The Week Staff Published
-
Fabulous foodie adventures in Peru, Japan and Australia
feature Featuring a Peruvian pilgrimage and foraging in the Volcanic Lakes and Plains
By The Week Staff Published
-
Top 10 best debut novels of all time
feature Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone took top spot in a poll of British literary lovers
By The Week Staff Published
-
Watership Down: disturbing children’s film finally loses its U rating
feature The 1978 adaptation of Richard Adams’s novel no longer feels ‘suitable for all’
By The Week Staff Published
-
How to pack efficiently and save on airfares
feature Travel tips and hacks for making the most of a bargain flight
By Alexandra Zagalsky Published
-
Edge of Ember: affordable fine jewellery for classicists
feature London-based brand has gone from strength to strength with its youthful and elegant designs
By Alexandra Zagalsky Published
-
‘Pinnacle of gastronomy’: how Central became the world’s best restaurant in 2023
feature Flagship Lima restaurant of chefs Virgilio Martínez and Pía León is an ‘ode to Peru’
By Mike Starling Published