Sony brought a surprise concept car called the Vision-S to the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) back in early 2020. Since then, it announced a collaboration with Honda in 2022 on a new EV brand, and a concept called Afeela bowed in 2023. Now, at CES two years following the concept’s debut, Sony and Honda have pulled the wraps off the production Afeela 1, along with pricing and availability announcements.
Production of the Afeela 1 begins in Ohio in 2025, and California-only deliveries will begin in mid-2026. It debuts with two trims available: Origin starting at $89,900 and Signature beginning at $102,900. That pricing puts this electric sedan up against the likes of the Tesla Model S, Lucid Air, and Porsche Taycan. Since GM’s only electric sedan for now is the ultra-lux Cadillac Celestiq, the Afeela 1 will debut with no direct rivals from General Motors.
“Sony Honda Mobility strives to evolve relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionize the travel experience,” said Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno. “We are very pleased to unveil AFEELA 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025. AFEELA 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with meticulously refined hardware. We will meet our customers’ expectations by providing a safe, secure, and comfortable travel experience.”
Every Afeela 1 will be powered by a dual-motor electric powertrain, giving it all-wheel drive. Afeela hasn’t announced total power and torque ratings, but each motor is claimed to produce 241 horsepower. It’s underpinned by an air-spring suspension system, and a staggered wheel setup has wider tires in the back. Afeela estimates a range of up to 300 miles, and the car comes with a native NACS charging port.
Although its performance is promising, the Afeela 1 puts a greater emphasis on technology than driving engagement. The Afeela Intelligent Drive ADAS system uses 40 sensors (a combination of cameras, LIDAR, RADAR, and ultrasonic sensors) to “sense and collect data from the surroundings” to create a safe and pleasant drive. You can talk to an Afeela Personal Agent, which can converse and give activity suggestions in addition to the basic functions of an in-car voice assistant.
Unsurprisingly from a Sony co-branded product, screens and sound are a big part of the cabin. A huge panoramic display spans the entire dash, and Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Technologies provide immersive sound. Rear entertainment screens come with the Signature trim, along with 21-inch wheels and a center camera monitoring system.
The Afeela 1 is available to reserve now for a refundable $200 reservation fee, and official orders are scheduled to begin in late 2025. It’s unclear when, if ever, the Afeela 1 will be available outside of California. The first Afeela Studio & Delivery Hub centers are planned to open in Torrance and Fremont in the second half of 2025.
Comments
the north american billionaires lost their cars in LA fire, now it is time hollywood use it as a film scenario for a terminator or alien film and second those billionaires with other 10 mansions worldwide to replece the burned cars with this one… how many Pasadena or Peeble beach milionaires cars were burn ´?! none a problem take out the visa card and buy sony
for sure is one thing, those sidewalks are good done in california, here is not the same
That was so incoherent but the one thing I could make out is that you think Pebble Beach somehow moved hundreds of miles south to LA.
Go home MK. You’re drunk. Get some sleep and eat a bacon egg and cheese on a roll in the morning so you don’t get a hangover.
I’m not so sure I want a AI buddy, and if I did, I don’t think I would want one stuck in my car. I just want transportation.
I can buy a LUCID Air for less. Sony is derp if they think this is gonna sell at this price.
Everything Sony has become overpriced. Even their household electronics. I used to be diehard Sony electronics and recently now have switched to Samsung. Samsung isn’t quite cheap but they aren’t Sony’s level of absurdly expensive and they make the best TVs on the market. I also like how my Galaxy can also act as a remote for it.
The way EVs are headed with everything being subscription based they can be considered that buddy you need to constantly loan money to and never pays you back.
Its looks are about as generic as they can be…don’t even need a name. just call it “Car” or “Electric Car” if you want to be specific.