The Afeela 1, the all-electric car born from a collaboration between Honda and electronics giant Sony, has reached the pre-production stage. The car, officially developed by Sony Honda Mobility, will be built at Honda's plant in East Liberty, Ohio.
We had the opportunity to see the prototype at the CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas in January 2024, a year after it was first announced there in 2023.
The Afeela 1 will initially be offered in two versions: Origin, starting at $89,900 USD, and Signature, priced at $102,900 USD. The higher end variant will be available first, for profit margin reasons. Canadian pricing has not yet been announced.
If everything goes as planned, the first units of the EV will be delivered starting in mid-2026.
A challenge
This Sony Honda Mobility project has been met with some skepticism by a number of analysts. First, there's its high price, and then the fact that it targets a clientele that already has choices in the segment, among them the Tesla Model S, Lucid Air and BMW i7, not to mention all the other more luxurious electric models offered in this price range.
Let's just say the challenge awaiting Sony and Honda with this product is significant. It will certainly attract many curious onlookers, especially those who are tech enthusiasts. The model promises a lot on that front, notably with a three-year subscription to certain connected features that should garner a lot of attention and rapture.
Pre-production
Images shared by the joint venture show the car in the midst of an analysis stage, with engineers measuring the gaps between body panels using a tool specially designed for the model, or checking the quality of the polishing.
The Afeela 1 will be equipped with a 91-kWh battery and offer all-wheel drive thanks to the presence of motors at the front and rear. Its 241-hp output is very modest for this type of vehicle, and given the high asking price. For the same reasons, many will be underwhelmed by the range, estimated at around 500 km.
Charging capacity, meanwhile, is set at only 150 kW. At least, the Afeela 1 will be able to recharge at Tesla stations thanks to the presence of a NACS (North American Charging Standard) port.
Clearly, what will allow the model to stand out is not performance level but technology. Passengers will be able to watch movies or listen to music while enjoying very high-quality surround sound. The vehicle's mapping function even includes three-dimensional renderings that will appear on screens spanning the entire dashboard.
