Sony and Honda's Afeela EV: A Tech-Packed Debut with Challenges Ahead

Sony reveals price for its first car 'Afeela' that comes with an built-in PS5

We caught our first glimpses of the Afeela exactly a year ago at CES 2024. With the Afeela still in its infancy, Sony took to the stage, highlighting the vehicle's design, entertainment capabilities, and, of course - AI integration features. The division of labor between the two brands was simple: Honda built the architecture, and Sony took care of the tech. Fast forward a year to CES 2025, and we've taken a closer look at the technical features in Sony's answer to Tesla. What's among them is impressive - AI-enhanced self driving, screens that span the entire dashboard, Sony's signature noise-cancelling technology, a 'media bar' allowing you to display messages on the front bumper. But the most important of all: is being able to play Baldur's Gate 3 on your commute through your on-board PlayStation 5. Sony did not specify exactly how, and where the console is accessed. However, one would assume it's through one of the many large screens located on the interior. Sony's introduction into the electric vehicle market is exactly as you'd expect: visually stunning, with incredible sound, and packed with gadgets. For a brand we've come to associate with gaming consoles, televisions, and headphones, it's certainly fitting that these competencies are pulled together in this package. The Afeela 1 will be made available in mid 2026, with prices for the Afeela 1 Origin, and Afeela 1 Signature, starting from $89,900 and $109,900, respectively.

Sony and Honda open pre-orders for Afeela EV, starting at $89,900

Serving tech enthusiasts for over 25 years. TechSpot means tech analysis and advice you can trust. What just happened? Sony and Honda announced at CES that pre-orders are officially open for their upcoming 'Afeela' EV. However, only customers in California can make reservations right now, with no clarification on when it will be open to buyers across the rest of the country. The mid-size sedan, which is roughly the same size as a Honda Accord, will come in two trims: the base Afeela 1 Origin priced at $89,900 and the premium Afeela 1 Signature, costing $102,900. Both are available for pre-order through a refundable $200 deposit. Deliveries for the Origin will begin in mid-2026, but the Signature won't start shipping until 2027. Both trims will include a complimentary three-year subscription to multiple smart features, including a Level 2+ driver assist system and an AI-powered personal assistant. Curiously, the Origin will only be offered in a 'Core Black' color, while the Signature is listed with three color options. At the CES press event, Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno showcased the Afeela's AI chops by using the "Come on out, Afeela" voice command to summon the vehicle using a mobile app. However, Mizuno clarified that the voice command was only a "tech demo," so it's unclear if it will be a part of the production model. The Afeela has a new-age design that boasts a panoramic screen spanning the width of the dashboard. It also has 40 sensors, including 1 LiDAR, nine radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors, both inside and outside the vehicle. Other notable tech includes a processor with 800 TOPS of computing power and a host of cameras for the L2+ ADAS feature. The Afeela gets an AWD drivetrain, front and rear motors with 180kW outputs, up to 300 miles of EPA-estimated range, a 91kWh lithium-ion battery, and NACS Supercharger connectivity. It will also support Tesla's ever-growing Supercharger network, which includes over 6,000 stations with over 62,000 connectors. Sony showcased its Vision-S smart car concept at CES 2020 as part of its plans to jump on the EV bandwagon. In 2022, the company partnered with Honda to develop a new mobility service platform. According to the two companies, Sony will take care of the imaging, sensing, telecommunication, network, and in-car entertainment, while the manufacturing will be done by Honda.

The Sony Afeela EV is finally here, but it could struggle to catch the Lucid Air - here's why

Sony Afeela 1 is slated to offer high levels of autonomous driving Sony's first foray into the world of electric vehicles is arguably one of the hardest working concepts of the CES show in Las Vegas. Starting life as the Sony Vision-S, the project has since morphed into the Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) Afeela, gradually revealed over five consecutive years of CES fanfare. During that time, we have been teased with infotainment details and treated to a mock-up that has gradually evolved in design. But this year at CES 2025, the company finally announced that the $89,900 all-electric model is now available to pre-order for a fully refundable reservation fee of $200, with deliveries anticipated in mid-2026. But there's a catch, as Sony's tie-in with the Japanese legacy automaker is currently only available to residents of California, although it is expected to be opened up to other US states soon. This year's party piece saw SHM boss Yasuhide Mizuno summon the "near production ready" Afeela 1 to the CES stage using just his smartphone, while indicating that the suite of of 40 sensors (including cameras, LiDAR, radars and ultrasonic sensors) would allow for high levels of autonomous driving. Inside, all occupants are treated to a huge dose of entertainment, thanks to displays at every seat, complete with Sony's 360 Spatial Sound Technologies to offer an "immersive" in-car experience. But Autocar states that the model is destined to ride on the same platform that will underpin the forthcoming and yet-to-be-driven Honda 0 Series, with official SHM specs clarifying that it will use a 91kWh battery pack that sends power to dual 180kW motors at the front and rear. Total power output will be 482bhp, with the fastest charging speeds limited to just 150kW via Tesla's North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector. Considering the Porsche Taycan can manage 320kW charge speeds, that figure already feels old fashioned. According to SHM, the Afeela 1 will be available in a more expensive Signature trim level, which will set customers back around $102,900 (£82,000 / AU$165,000). Despite the heady asking price and dazzling 'computer-on-wheels' technology, it is already falling some way behind the likes of Lucid where the important automotive stats are concerned. Lucid offers its 2025 Air Touring model with an EPA estimated range of 406 miles, as well as a total power output of around 620hp. The more expensive Grand Touring model, which costs around $10,000 more than the range-topping Afeela 1, offers a staggering 512-mile EPA estimated range and 819hp, with a 0-60mph sprint time of just three seconds. Clearly, Honda's tie-up with Sony will major on the entertainment factor, with the two companies already promising the next generation of in-car technology. This comes courtesy of a powerful system on a chip (SoC) capable of 800 ToPs (Trillions of Operations Per Second), machine learning, advanced AI and Tesla-baiting levels of autonomy. You can control various in-car functions via natural voice interactions thanks to the Afeela 'Personal Agent', which SHM says will converse with occupants and even suggest activities, while the Unreal gaming engine is used to make everything from maps to menus more interactive and visually arresting. There's also the fact that sound has been optimized for each individual seat, with Sony offering its noice-cancelling know-how to allow all of those riding aboard to enjoy entertainment from built-in apps, such as Spotify, TikTok and more. At CES last year, then-boss Izumi Kawanishi even showcased how the vehicle could be driven with a PS5 controller, suggesting that Sony's blockbuster games would make their way inside the car. But Honda is responsible for how this car will ride and handle - and it's a manufacturer with a patchy EV history. Granted, its Prologue model has been very well received in the US, but the all-electric e:Ny1 and the now-defunct Honda e haven't been so lucky. In fact, the e:Ny1 was a massive disappointment when I drove it last year. Honda said it would "rip up the rulebook" when it unveiled its plans for the 0 Series at last year's CES - unofficially stating that it would essentially start afresh where EVs are concerned. Slimmer batteries, lighter vehicles, better handling and improved efficiencies are all promised by this new platform, but we are yet to see if the Japanese marque can deliver. So far, the pure EV specs offered by the Afeela 1 already feel a little long in the tooth, especially given that customers won't receive their cars until 2026. At which point, MG claims it will have released a vehicle with solid-state battery technology and all-electric ranges that could easily be in excess of 600 miles.

Honda and Sony Unveil Their Doomed New Afeela Electric Car

Honda and Sony's Afeela 1 electric car is boring, too expensive, and will only be sold in California, so why would anyone buy one? Honda doesn't seem to believe that electric cars are the future. Click the "Electrified" tab on their website, and you'll see five hybrids and only one fully electric car, the Prologue -- a car that Honda didn't develop. Instead, it's mostly a re-bodied Chevrolet Blazer EV, sharing the same platform, battery, motors, and general dimensions, and though an in-house Honda EV platform is supposedly coming in 2026, they haven't shared any details of those production cars. Internationally, they've put more energy into making EVs -- the highlight being their retro Honda E city car -- but all have been sales flops. Today at the Consumer Electronics Show, Honda tried to change the tune with the unveiling of Afeela 1, their new, all-electric sedan, made in collaboration with Sony under the new "Afeela" sub-brand. First shown in concept car form five years ago, it promises to be one of the most advanced electric cars outside of Communist China, with Level 2+ driver assist, an AI personal assistant, massive screens in the front and back seat, and LiDar self-driving pods on the windshield. Sony and Honda have been relatively quiet about the details of Afeela's platform, but it has a 91 kilo-watt hour battery, will be compatible with Tesla's Supercharging Network, and will have a targeted range of "up to 300 miles," which is fine if unremarkable. That would all be fine, were it not for the price. The Afeela 1 will come in two trims, with a $102,900 Afeela 1 Signature releasing in 2026, and the entry $89,900 Afeela 1 Origin following a year later. Oh, and it's only releasing in California. Again, this looks like a well-thought-out car, and Sony's involvement guarantees that it will have one of the best infotainment systems on the market -- albeit one entirely controlled by touch screens, which few people like. Yet why would anyone buy this? It's expensive but doesn't look that premium; its range is unremarkable; Sony and Honda spoke nothing about its driving dynamics, suggesting the Afeela 1 won't be particularly fast or dynamic; and you can tell a home-electronics brand was involved in the design because it's utterly soulless. It looks like the default version of a rounded electric sedan, down to the bland cover wheels, slab sides, and a light-bar grill; there's no passion or character here. Also, Afeela locks their self-driving features behind an unspecified subscription, which new buyers will only get three years of for free. This is an incredibly tough sell. For the same money, you can get a far faster Tesla, with better range, or a more luxurious, stylish Lucid, or a low-mile Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT; and you can get any of those today, in any state. Or you could buy one of Honda's upcoming in-house electric cars, which they are happy to put their brand name on. Only a few hours after the Afeela production unveil, Honda showed off two pre-production concepts of their "0 Series" cars, running on their new electric platform. There are no details on them, and these are design concepts, but at least they look great. And when they do hit production, one would expect their prices to be more competitive with companies like Hyundai and Kia rather than Afeela's six-figure aspirations. They also will be available in more than one state.