Sharp is following in Sony’s footsteps, and is jumping into the electric vehicle scene. The company’s first electric car will be previewed by a people mover concept that will debut at the 2025 Tokyo motor show, which starts this week.
The LDK+ is a small people mover featuring sliding rear doors, clean lines and relatively flat sides. All up, its styling is professional, if unremarkable, and is definitely less radical than the original LDK+ concept unveiled this time last year.
Marketed under the ‘Part of your home’ tagline, Sharp says when the LDK+ is parked in the garage it becomes a part of the home, and can be used as a study or theatre room.
To that end, the interior features front seats that can swivel around 180 degrees, and a centre console that includes a table and projector. There’s also a retractable screen suitable for movies, TV shows, and Zoom meetings.
Sharp’s own artificial intelligence and internet of things technology allows the car to interact with smart home devices and home power systems, including solar panels and batteries.
No details about the concept’s drivetrain or battery specifications have been revealed so far.
The LDK+ is based on the Model A architecture developed by Foxconn, the electronics contract manufacturer best known for assembling many generations of the Apple iPhone.
Foxconn is branching out into contract vehicle production, and has developed a series of EV architectures for startups and existing manufacturers to utilise. Mitsubishi will be using Foxconn’s Model B platform for an upcoming EV that will be sold in Australia.
According to Nikkan Jidosha Shimbun, the LDK+ will be launched during the 2027 financial year (April 2027 to March 2028), and the company is aiming to sell around 9000 units a year in Japan.
Sharp is apparently not keen on setting up its own dealer network, and is looking at alternative avenues for selling the vehicle.
While Sharp’s car is being developed with Foxconn, rival Sony has setup a joint venture with Honda to produce Afeela vehicles. The 4.9m long Afeela 1 is due to go on sale in the States in the middle of 2026 via direct sales.
It will retail for US$89,900 (A$144,200), which a few grand more than the base Tesla Model S. Although pricing has yet to revealed for the LDK+, it seems as though Sharp’s vehicle will be far more affordable.