Sony/Honda in NA, An OEM Goes Air Taxi, & Pickleball is All the Rage

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Welcome to Friday, home of All Things Used Cars on Clubhouse. Today we look at rising new ventures in auto and sports to pay attention to. We look at the newest announcement by Sony and Honda with their plans in North America, Hyundai pressing the accelerator on air travel, and the sport you didn’t see coming.

• Just a couple months after announcing their new partner company, Sony and Honda announce a plant to be built in North America
  • First deliveries will take place in early 2026.
  • Models for sales, aftermarket, and service are still not confirmed, though Honda’s online D2C experiment in Japan is most likely to make its way to the US.
  • Sony Honda Mobility also expects initial sales in Japan to come from North American exports to the automaker’s home country.
  • #TILI: There is no doubt that the lack of mention of the dealer network from Honda has us concerned, but we know that quality conversations from Honda dealers are an opportunity worth stirring up quickly!
• Air Taxi conversations aren’t going anywhere according to a new collaboration by Hyundai
  • The US FAA is still working on considerations for aircraft certification as well as traffic, take off, and landing rules
  • This is the first collaboration by an automaker with an established aeronautical corporation.
  • TILI: So, dealers know how to sell transportation products…ever thought about finding in-roads to conversations with new entrants in this space for delivery and service?
• Pickleball is taking the world by storm, and it isn’t just retired folks at the YMCA anymore
  • Tom Brady and Kim Clijsters purchased a 2023 expansion team
  • Sam Querrey, the former world #11 and two-time Wimbledon semi finalist, announced his next chapter: pickleball.
  • Other notable team owners include LeBron James, Draymond Green, Drew Brees, and Kevin Love.
  • Recently Carvana became the title sponsor for the PPA (Professional Pickleball Association)
  • The sport is quickly growing in popularity due to its ease of learning, smaller court sizes, and communal feel.
  • #TILI: I wonder if there are any growing communities of Pickleball players near dealerships in the US…

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