The sensor-studded Sony electric car won’t be cheap

By Stephen Edelstein Published January 7, 2025

Sony Honda Mobility announced pricing and the start of preorders for its first electric vehicle, the Afeela 1, at CES 2025. The joint venture between electronics giant Sony and automaker Honda is also accepting reservations, but doesn’t expect to start deliveries until 2026, and the Afeela 1 will only be available in California initially.

Two versions will be available. The base Afeela 1 Origin costs $89,900, while the Afeela 1 Signature costs $102,900. That extra cash buys 21-inch wheels, a rear-seat entertainment system, and a center camera monitoring system. A $200 refundable deposit buys a spot in line for when production eventually starts at Honda’s new EV manufacturing hub in Ohio.

However, many of the Afeela EV’s tech features will likely require additional cash to maintain. The brand said it will offer a three-year complimentary subscription for its driver-assist features, voice assistant, entertainment features, and 5G connectivity — implying that fees will crop up after that period.

The Afeela 1 looks similar to the prototype shown at CES 2023, the main difference being added bumps that likely accommodate some of the many cameras, lidar, radar, and ultrasonic sensors that make up its driver-assist sensor suite. Afeela claims there are 40 of these sensors in total.

Also carried over from 2023’s prototype is a door-to-door screen setup, with graphics powered by the Unreal Engine. It’s accompanied by Afeela’s own natural-language voice recognition system and an audio system that uses Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound tech. Afeela claims to have also developed proprietary noise-canceling tech to minimize unwanted sounds in the cabin, which also makes extensive use of plant-based and recycled materials.

A dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain is standard, with one 241-horsepower motor for each axle, along with a 91-kilowatt-hour battery pack providing a targeted 300 miles of range. Afeela said it will offer Tesla Supercharger access from the get-go, enabled by a built-in North American Charging Standard (NACS) port, but a 150-kilowatt maximum power rate means the Afeela 1 won’t be able to take full advantage of those DC fast chargers. An estimated Level 2 AC power rate of 11 kilowatts is more respectable.

While it has both the Honda and Sony brands behind it, and aims to raise the bar on driver-assist and in-cabin tech, the Afeela 1 has its work cut out for it. For $20,000 less, you can have a Lucid Air Pure with 420 miles of range and much faster charging. Even the base Tesla Model S is, for the moment at least, $10,000 less, and offers 402 miles of range. And much of the Afeela’s mechanical hardware will likely carry over to Honda’s upcoming 0 Series EVs — potentially at a lower price point.