Sony Honda Mobility was founded in 2022 by Japanese companies Sony Group Corporation and Honda Motor. The first sedan concept called Vision (aka Vision-S) was unveiled in 2020 and was merely a demonstrator of Sony's promising technology. The car shown at CES 2025 is the closest prototype to the production model, the Afeela 1, and will be produced in the United States at Honda's existing plant in Ohio.
The Afeela 1 will be available in two trim levels: the Afeela 1 Origin priced from $89,900 and the Afeela 1 Signature for $102,900. Both prices include a free three-year subscription to a variety of vehicle features, including a Level 2+ driving assistance system and an artificial intelligence-based personal virtual assistant.
Pre-orders are now open, but only in the state of California for now. In order to get in line to buy one, a refundable deposit of $200 is required. There is no information about the possibility of buying the electric car in other states yet.
At the Las Vegas press conference, SHM also revealed some specs, including a 91 kWh battery, a range of up to 300 miles (482 kilometres) on the EPA cycle and the ability to charge on the Tesla Supercharger network. The Signature version will go on sale first and will get 21-inch wheels by default, a choice of three body colours (Tidal Gray, Calm White and Core Black) and two interior colours (black or grey). The cheaper Afeela 1 Origin will arrive later, exclusively in Core Black colour, with 19-inch wheels and fewer options.
The Afeela EV will be equipped with 40 sensors for driver assistance systems, which through gradual evolution and over-the-air (OTA) software updates will turn into a full-fledged autopilot. Sony's massive dashboard display is also standard equipment. The system's interface and navigation are powered by the Unreal Engine.
If all goes according to plan, the first deliveries of the Signature version are expected in mid-2026 in California and Japan. Deliveries of the less expensive electric car specification will start in 2027.
Source: SHM