Sony Group Corp (NYSE:SONY) and Honda Motor Co Ltd.'s (NYSE:HMC) joint electric vehicle venture faces significant headwinds as it prepares to enter the U.S. market in 2026, amid expected policy changes under President-elect Donald Trump that could reshape the EV landscape.
What Happened: The partnership, Sony Honda Mobility, will unveil its production-ready Afeela sedan prototype at CES 2025 in Las Vegas next month. While the vehicle's hardware is largely complete, developers are fine-tuning the software-centric features that distinguish it from competitors, according to SHM President Izumi Kawanishi, Nikkei reported on Wednesday.
The timing of Afeela's launch coincides with potentially major shifts in U.S. auto policy. Trump's anticipated elimination of the current $7,500 EV tax credit could reduce electric vehicle sales by nearly 30%, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research.
This policy shift has already influenced market dynamics, with Tesla Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) shares rallying following Trump's election victory.
What Happened: The changing landscape has divided industry analysts. Roth MKM analyst Craig Irwin recently raised Tesla's price target by 347% to $380, suggesting established players might benefit from reduced subsidies. However, newcomers like SHM could face additional challenges beyond the subsidy cuts, including potential tariff increases.
Despite these hurdles, SHM is betting on its unique value proposition. The Afeela features 45 cameras and sensors, an entertainment-focused cabin design, and software that can be updated like a smartphone. The company aims to differentiate itself through Sony's entertainment and sensor expertise combined with Honda's automotive manufacturing capabilities.
"All businesses have ups and downs," Kawanishi noted, emphasizing the venture's long-term vision. Industry experts suggest annual sales of 30,000 to 40,000 units would be considered successful for the new entrant in a market dominated by Tesla, which controls approximately half of U.S. EV sales.
EV-focused exchange-traded funds, including Invesco Electric Vehicle Metals Commodity Strategy No K-1 ETF (NASDAQ:EVMT), Amplify Lithium & Battery Technology ETF (NYSE:BATT), KraneShares Electric Vehicles and Future Mobility Index ETF (NYSE:KARS), and Global X Lithium & Battery Tech ETF (NYSE:LIT), have all been trading in the red since Trump's election victory on Nov. 6.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
索尼集团公司 (NYSE:SONY) 和本田汽车公司 (NYSE:HMC) 的合资电动汽车企业在准备于 2026 年进入美国市场时面临重大阻力，因为预计当选总统唐纳德·特朗普 (Donald Trump) 的政策变化可能会重塑电动汽车格局。
发生了什么：索尼本田出行合作伙伴将在下个月在拉斯维加斯举行的CES 2025上推出其可量产的Afeela轿车原型。日经周三报道，ShM总裁川西泉表示，尽管该车的硬件已基本完善，但开发人员正在微调以软件为中心的功能，以使其与竞争对手区分开来。
Afeela推出的时机恰逢美国汽车政策可能发生的重大变化。根据国家经济研究局的数据，特朗普预计取消目前的7,500美元电动汽车税收抵免可能会使电动汽车的销量减少近30％。
这种政策转变已经影响了市场动态，特斯拉公司（纳斯达克股票代码：TSLA）在特朗普大选获胜后股价上涨。
发生了什么：不断变化的格局使行业分析师产生了分歧。Roth mKM分析师克雷格·欧文最近将特斯拉的目标股价上调了347％，至380美元，这表明老牌企业可能会受益于补贴的减少。但是，除了削减补贴外，像shM这样的新移民可能面临其他挑战，包括潜在的关税上涨。
尽管存在这些障碍，但shM仍将赌注押在其独特的价值主张上。Afeela拥有45个摄像头和传感器，以娱乐为重点的客舱设计以及可以像智能手机一样更新的软件。该公司的目标是通过索尼的娱乐和传感器专业知识以及本田的汽车制造能力来脱颖而出。
川西指出：“所有业务都有起有落，” 他强调了该合资企业的长期愿景。业内专家认为，对于特斯拉主导的市场的新进入者来说，年销量为3万至40,000辆将被视为成功，特斯拉控制着美国电动汽车销量的大约一半。
自11月6日特朗普大选获胜以来，以电动汽车为重点的交易所交易基金，包括景顺电动汽车金属大宗商品策略K-1号ETF（纳斯达克股票代码：EVMT）、Amplify锂和电池技术ETF（纽约证券交易所代码：BATT）、KraneShares电动汽车和未来出行指数ETF（纽约证券交易所代码：KARS），均处于亏损状态。
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