(Yicai Global) Sept. 11 -- Japanese auto giant Honda Motor Co. [TYO:7267] and Chinese software manufacturer Neusoft Corp. [SHA:600718] will develop core technologies for electric vehicles (EVs) and will inaugurate their first pure EVs developed exclusively for China next year.

The country ranks in the forefront of the world in the field of IT, vehicle networking and other technical fields, Mizuno Yasuhide, head of Honda China, said at the China Automotive Industry Forum 2017 on Sept. 9, adding that to adapt to changes in the Chinese market the company is greatly intensifying its EV system development, China Securities Journal reported.

The cooperation includes battery management technology, vehicle data cloud, smart telematics and other core technologies. Honda plans to debut the pure EVs the two sides jointly develop in the Chinese market next year, selling them under the joint venture's brand.

Neusoft previously announced that it would spend USD23 million (CNY150 million) to set up a new company dedicated to traction battery development and production to achieve its EV battery mass-production targets.

Neusoft Group has many years' experience in automotive electronics and is a leader in the domestic industry. Its product range encompasses vehicle interactive systems, smart interconnected systems and driver-assistance systems. The company will also mass produce battery products and management systems in the next two years, said an analyst with Haitong Securities.

Honda is one of the world's ten-largest car manufacturers, with a lineup replete with new energy vehicles (NEVs). It boasts one NEV model with a 589-kilometer range.