Photo: Sony Honda Mobility
Sony Honda Mobility, a joint venture between the Japanese tech giant Sony & Honda, established in 2022, recently announced their first car under the brand Afeela, the Afeela 1, at CES 2025. The car was previously first shown at CES 2023. Initially, the car is supposed to be sold only in the state of California. As a matter of fact, pre-orders for the car are already open for Californians for $200.
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The Afeela 1 comes in two trims, the Origin and the Signature. The former starts at around $90,000, while the latter costs over $100,000. The all-wheel-drive Afeela 1 packs a punch with twin 244 hp electric motors—one for each axle. Its 92 kWh battery gives you up to 300 miles on a single charge.
What Is Afeela 1 All About?
The Afeela might actually be a breath of fresh air in the era of SUVs. The Afeela 1 is Honda and Sony’s first product under the Afeela lineup. The key goal of this joint venture is to develop technologically advanced mobility solutions, i.e., cars with a ton of sensors and screens and whatnot. This is what Yasuhide Mizuno, Chairperson and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Inc, has to say about the Afeela 1:
Sony Honda Mobility strives to evolve relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionize the travel experience. 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.
The advanced system is powered by over 40 sensors, including cameras, lidar, radar, and ultrasonic technology. Sony Honda Mobility also claims that 70 percent interior of the car is made of recycled materials. The car has a lot of other tech related features that you can read here.
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Is The AFEELA a KILLA’?
The Afeela 1 is set to make waves in the already competitive US EV market. While this tech-laden, screen-filled vehicle is par for the course these days, its steep price tag of around $90,000 means it’s definitely not an option for the average Joe trying to get his hands on a Japanese EV.
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The luxury EV segment has been around for a while, but the key concern with the Afeela 1 is its lack of bling and brand recognition compared to a Porsche, and it doesn’t quite match the trusted and tested Tesla Model S, mainly in the US market. Yet, it comes with a price tag that might make you question your purchase decision. Although its range is better than the Porsche Taycan, it’s still 100 miles less than the regular Model S, which begs the question: who is this car aimed at? Is a $100,000 Honda here to take names, or is it a risky bet by the Japanese? I guess time will tell.
Afeela 1 deliveries will start in mid-2026 for the signature trim, while the origin trim will make its debut in 2027.
