When Sony teased its Vision S concept car at CES 2020, industry wonks everywhere had the same reaction: Neat, now what? At CES 2023, the Japanese company answered that question by introducing the Afeela, an EV produced in partnership with Honda and destined for U.S. roads in 2026.
Initial details were light, but the sedan closely resembles the slippery Vision-S concept Sony showed off three years ago. And like that prototype, it’s all about the sensors — Sony claims it will contain a total of 45 sensors, from lidar to radar and in-car cameras. A stripe-like strip in the grille glows different colors allowing the car to “express itself” – a common theme in Sony’s CES 2023 presentation.
Inside, a massive screen dominates the front dash, and Sony promises it will make extensive use of its partnerships in movies, music, and gaming. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis will provide the computing power to make it all run.
Sony says preorders for the Afeela will open in the first quarter of 2025, and the first deliveries in North American deliveries will follow in 2026.
This is a developing story and we’ll continue to add more details as we receive them.
Volkswagen’s newest EVs in China are making its American and European models look unusually conservative.
With Xpeng’s help, VW has introduced 800-volt charging and advanced urban driving assistance. The new VEGA technology package brings its locally developed vehicle platforms and CEA electronic architecture under one umbrella. Bloomberg reports that Volkswagen intends to update VEGA every three months. Western buyers can find pieces of that package, but not the whole thing in a Volkswagen.
BYD has launched the third-generation Qin Plus DM-i in China, and the first thing that caught my eye is its price. According to CarNewsChina, the plug-in hybrid sedan starts at 79,900 yuan, which is about $11,980. That’s an incredibly low price for a brand-new car, especially by US standards.
What’s even more impressive is the range. The Qin Plus DM-i can drive up to 137 miles on electricity alone, which should cover most people’s daily commutes without using a drop of gas. Once the battery runs out, the 1.5-liter engine takes over. Thanks to its 17-gallon tank and roughly 91 mpg with a drained battery, the combined range reaches up to 1,423 miles.
Apple won the PC market’s worst quarter, but that’s not the entire story. It won the race by stumbling less than everyone else.
PC makers shipped just 57 million computers worldwide in Q3, which might look good, but it’s a 21% year-over-year plunge (via Counterpoint Research). And despite Apple’s Mac shipments falling by 11%, to 5.6 million, its market share rose from 8.7% to 9.8%. How did that happen?