At January’s CES 2025 event in Las Vegas, Sony Honda Mobility – a joint venture between Sony and Honda – marked its entry into the electric vehicle market with the unveiling of the Afeela 1. This collaboration aims to blend advanced technology with automotive engineering and the sleek, full-size liftback sedan will, the company says, begin to be delivered to customers in the US in 2026.
The 5-seater Afeela 1 has a minimalist exterior featuring hidden door handles and a flush front end, including a ‘Media Bar’ on the front bumper designed to display messages and information, while inside, the vehicle boasts a panoramic dashboard screen, Sony’s surround sound system, and noise-cancelling technology.
An AI personal assistant is integrated to create natural conversations with occupants and provide a personalised and interactive driving experience. It will of course, be jam-packed with infotainment features and advanced driving assistance technology, and Sony Honda Mobility says it is equipped with 40 sensors – including cameras, LiDAR, radars, and ultrasonic units. The company adds that it is aiming for Level 3 automated driving capabilities under specific conditions.
Underpinning all this techie goodness are dual 180kW electric motors. A 91kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides an estimated range of approximately 482kms on a full charge. The vehicle supports DC fast charging up to 150kW.
The Afeela 1 is to be available in two trims, Origin and Signature, with the Origin starting at $US89,900 ($AU142,700) and the Signature at $US102,900 ($AU163,372). Delivers for the Signature are expected to begin in 2026 with the Origin to follow in 2027.
Both trims are to be initially available to buyers with a three-year complimentary subscription to features such as Afeela Intelligent Drive, Afeela Personal Agent, and selected entertainment content, and the company says it is now taking reservations for California residents.
Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (February 2025)
19 March 2025