Sony and Honda have revealed their flagship luxury electric vehicle, an SUV known as Afeela 1, ahead of its launch next year.
The Afeela 1, part of an Afeela joint-venture brand by Sony and Honda, was showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) this week. The vehicle will begin rolling out in the United States and Japan from mid-2026, but an Australian release date has not been confirmed.
“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,” said Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility.
The SUV boasts 483 kilometres of range and two 180-kilowatt motors. The design shown at CES is “near final”, according to Mizuno.
It will include a voice assistant and wireless phone charging, and a more expensive Signature edition will feature 12.9-inch rear entertainment screens. The Afeela 1 contains 18 cameras, 12 ultrasonic sensors, nine radars, and a lidar unit to support autonomous driving.
The Afeela 1 Origin edition is priced from US$89,900 (A$145,200), and the Afeela 1 Signature is priced at $102,900 (A$166,200). Preorders in California opened this week, while other preorders will begin later this year.
Sony first introduced a concept electric vehicle in 2020, unveiling a sedan known as the Sony Vision-S at CES that year. However, the Vision-S was never sold commercially, with Sony saying in 2022 it would “explore entry into the EV market” in the future. Sony and Honda partnered to form Sony Honda Mobility that year.
Honda also revealed two new EV prototypes for its 0 Series at CES this week, with the Honda 0 Saloon and Honda 0 SUV scheduled to debut in 2026. Asimo, a Honda 0 Series operating system, will enable autonomous driving.
While Honda is the world’s largest engine manufacturer, it has been relatively slow to release electric vehicles. It agreed last year to double its investment in electrification to around US$65 billion by 2030.
Talks are ongoing in Honda’s potential merger with Nissan, with a final decision due in June. Electric vehicle technologies will be a major priority for a merged company, according to Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe.
Sony’s (NYSE: SONY) share price closed at US$20.77, down from its previous close at $20.91. Its market capitalisation is $125 billion.
Honda’s (NYSE: HMC) share price closed at US$29.98, down from its previous close at $30.31. Its market capitalisation is $46.7 billion.
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