Sharp is also entering the electric mobility sector with a first prototype

Sharp, a veteran Japanese company known for its consumer electronics products, has just taken a first step towards electric mobility with the presentation of its first prototype, the LDK+. This move is not isolated and follows the path already taken by Sony, another Japanese electronics giant, which has been working for some time to bring its first electric vehicle to market.

According to the company, Sharp’s LDK+ is conceived not only as a means of transport, but as an extension of the home, a “mobile lounge” where the experience of being inside the vehicle takes priority over driving itself. That is why the rear seats can swivel backwards, and once the doors are closed, glass blinds ensure privacy to create an intimate space.

This prototype also stands out for its use of advanced technologies which, among other capabilities, make it possible to automatically adjust the air conditioning and lighting based on information that an Artificial Intelligence system collects from the household appliances, thus offering a personalised interior environment.

Additionally, Sharp has incorporated a large screen at the rear of the vehicle, so that the space can be transformed into a cinema or a private office, thereby expanding the possible uses of the LDK+ beyond everyday journeys.

The Japanese company aims to begin selling its own electric vehicles towards the end of this decade, initially focusing on the local market. Although Sharp does not yet have a plant with the capacity to produce electric vehicles, what it does have is the collaboration of the Taiwanese company Foxconn, which could ultimately be in charge of producing Sharp’s vehicles.

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Sharp and Sony: parallel paths

As already mentioned, Sharp is not the first Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer interested in making the leap into electric mobility. Sony has already presented two prototypes in recent years: the VISION-S 01 at CES 2020 and the VISION-S 02, an electric SUV, at CES 2022. Furthermore, in 2022, the Japanese manufacturer announced a joint venture with Honda, named Afeela, which plans to launch its first vehicle in 2025, with the intention of expanding to North America a year later and, finally, making the leap into Europe as well.

The entry of Sharp and Sony into the electric vehicle industry reflects a growing trend among technology corporations to diversify their product portfolios towards sectors with high growth and sustainability potential, such as electric mobility. These initiatives not only seek to meet an emerging demand for cleaner alternatives to transport, but also represent a new field of innovation for these companies, traditionally established in consumer electronics.