Sony’s first electric car, presented for some time in concept form, will not be suitable for all budgets. However, the manufacturer of the Playstation has found its partner to launch into this ultra-competitive sector: it is Honda. CES 2025 allowed us to discover the “almost final” prototype of the vehicle, the first concept of which was first revealed in 2020.
Together, they introduced two models: the Afeela 1 Origin, which starts at $89,900, and the Afeela 1 Signature, which goes up to $102,900.
Very high prices, much more than those of Tesla, but which allow access for three years to various “bonuses”, including “intelligent driving”, a selection of “immersive” content and an Afeela “personal agent”. The integrated battery ensures up to 480 kilometers of autonomy.
A soundscape from the creators of Gran Turismo
The vehicle is equipped with sensors and cameras (about forty) to ensure “semi-autonomous” driving. Sony and Honda, however, do not hide their ambitions and want to compete directly with the luxury car manufacturers in the sector.
On stage, Yasuhide Mizuno, CEO of Sony Honda Mobility, called out, for example, to the car, which appeared next to him. However, voice control via phone is still in the technical demonstration phase, as is the entire product.
Most notable: the ambient sound, particularly that of the engines, will be provided by the Polyphony Digital studio, to which we owe the video game saga. Grand Tourism.
In the cabin we also highlight the presence of a large touch screen. Sony assures that several partners will be present, including the Spotify, Audible and Amazon Music platforms.
Pre-orders begin today for California; other US states are planned with a $200 payment. It is the Signature version (in three colors), which is the most expensive, which will be released first, starting in 2026. The “basic” model (in black) will arrive the following year.
It remains to be seen if Sony – or Honda – did not wait too long to launch their vehicle, while the future Trump administration could eliminate incentives for the purchase of an electric vehicle. However, the Japanese duo has in stock a sedan with premium finishes and undoubtedly more versatile than a Tesla or a BYD.
Source: BFM TV
