Sony CEO says will explore tie-ups in EV batteries

TOKYO: Sony Corp will explore alliances in batteries for electric vehicles and aims to be a leading player in the global mobile phone market, its new chief executive said on Thursday.

CEO Kazuo Hirai, who took the helm at the iconic consumer electronics maker this month, also told a news conference that Sony would target group-wide sales of 8.5 trillion yen ($105 billion) in the 2014/15 business year with an operating margin of over 5 percent.

He said Sony aims to eventually expand annual medical business sales to 100 billion yen.