Sony and Honda, which have been working on a joint project (official name: Sony Honda Mobility) for some time to launch a brand of all-electric vehicles, today announced its name and presented a first prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show which takes place currently held in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The first model from the Afeela brand is this fully electric sedan, whose name has not yet been disclosed. We can expect a presentation of the final product somewhere in 2025, when the company will accept pre-orders. Deliveries to buyers will begin in the spring of 2026, if all goes as planned. Production of the model will take place in the United States.
Like most other automakers working on next-generation EVs, CEO of the new Sony Honda Mobility joint venture, Yasuhido Mizuno, emphasized the high level of interactivity and connectivity between the new model and its owners:
“Afeela represents our concept of interactive relationship, where people feel the sensation of intelligent mobility, and where mobility can sense and understand people and society through sensing and AI (artificial intelligence) technologies. »
– Yasuhido Mizuno, PDG de Sony Honda Mobility
The first Afeela model is a sedan not unlike a certain Tesla Model 3 with what looks like an aerodynamic exterior design, yet realistic and practical. Among the distinctive elements, the light bars at the front and rear, as well as the oversized wheels on which the vehicle rests.
• Sony and Honda present the first concept of the Afeela brand at CES 2023.
• Afeela is the name of a new EV brand launched jointly by the two companies.
• Sony Honda Mobility will accept orders for the model from 2025, before a planned launch in 2026.
See the vehicles for sale available near you
Inside, the designers got more fancy, especially with the half-moon steering wheel and the dashboard screen that literally stretches from door to door (framed by screens that take the place of exterior mirrors). We can expect some of the fanciest bits to be dropped en route to the final production model.
The elements most likely to survive the transition are the floating console between the front seats, the screens on the backs of the front seats and the enormous panoramic roof.
The prototype version of this first Afeela model is equipped with 45 cameras and sensors, which suggests a panoply of advanced driver assistance systems. The vehicle is also equipped to ensure level 3 autonomous driving on the highway and level 2 autonomy in the city.
