The Sony Afeela EV is finally here, but it might struggle to catch the Lucid Air – and here’s why
- The Sony Afeela 1 will offer a high level of autonomous driving
- Prices start at $89,900 / £72,000 / AU$143,000
- In-car entertainment is top of the agenda
Sony’s first foray into the world of electric vehicles may be one of the hardest working concepts from the CES show in Las Vegas.
The project started as the Sony Vision-S and has since morphed into the Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) Afeela, which was gradually unveiled over five consecutive years of CES fanfare.
Considering the Porsche Taycan can handle a charging speed of 320 kW, that figure already feels old-fashioned.
During that time we’ve been teased with infotainment details and treated to a mock-up that has gradually evolved in design. But this year at CES 2025, the company finally announced that the $89,900 all-electric model can now be reserved for a fully refundable $200 reservation fee, with deliveries expected in mid-2026.
But there’s a catch, as Sony’s partnership with the Japanese automaker is currently only available to California residents, though it’s expected to open up to other US states soon.
In this year’s party piece, SHM boss Yasuhide Mizuno summoned the “almost production-ready” Afeela 1 to the CES stage with just his smartphone, while pointing out that its array of 40 sensors (including cameras, LiDAR, radars and ultrasonic sensors) would enable high levels of autonomous driving.
Inside, all occupants are treated to a huge dose of entertainment, thanks to displays at every seat, complete with Sony’s 360 Spatial Sound Technologies, delivering an “immersive” in-car experience.
But Coach states that the model is destined to ride on the same platform that will underpin the future and yet-to-be-driven Honda 0 Series, with official SHM specs clarifying that it will use a 91 kWh battery pack sending power to dual 180 kW motors on the front and back.
Total power will be 482 hp, with top charging speeds limited to just 150 kW via Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) connector. Considering the Porsche Taycan can handle a charging speed of 320 kW, that figure already feels old-fashioned.
According to SHM, the Afeela 1 will be available in a more expensive Signature trim level, which will cost customers around $102,900 (£82,000 / AU$165,000).
Despite its high asking price and dazzling ‘computer-on-wheels’ technology, it’s already slightly behind the likes of Lucid when it comes to the important automotive stats. Lucid is offering its 2025 Air Touring model with an EPA-estimated range of 400 miles, as well as a total output of approximately 620 horsepower.
The more expensive Grand Touring model, which costs around $10,000 more than the range-topping Afeela 1, offers an EPA-estimated range of up to 512 miles and 819 horsepower, with a 0 to 60 mph sprint time of just three seconds.
Entertainment is central
It’s clear that Honda’s partnership with Sony will be key to the entertainment factor, with the two companies already promising next-generation in-car technology. This is thanks to a powerful system on a chip (SoC) capable of 800 ToPs (trillions of operations per second), machine learning, advanced AI and Tesla-baiting levels of autonomy.
You can control various functions in the car through natural voice interactions thanks to the Afeela ‘Personal Agent’, which SHM says will talk to occupants and even suggest activities, while the Unreal gaming engine is used to make everything from maps to menus more interactive and make it more interactive. visually appealing.
But Honda is responsible for how this car will ride and drive – and it’s a manufacturer with a patchy EV history.
There’s also the fact that the sound has been optimized for each individual seat, with Sony offering its noise-cancelling know-how to help everyone on board enjoy entertainment via built-in apps such as Spotify, TikTok and more.
At CES last year, then-boss Izumi Kawanishi even showed off how the vehicle could be controlled with a PS5 controller, suggesting that Sony’s blockbuster games would find their way inside the car.
But Honda is responsible for how this car will ride and drive – and it’s a manufacturer with a patchy EV history.
Granted, the Prologue model has been very well received in the US, but the all-electric e:Ny1 and the now-defunct Honda e haven’t been so lucky. In fact, the e:Ny1 was a huge disappointment when I rode it last year.
Honda said it would “tear up the rule book” when it unveiled its plans for the 0 Series at last year’s CES – unofficially declaring it would essentially be starting over when it comes to electric vehicles.
Smarter batteries, lighter vehicles, better handling and improved efficiency are all promised by this new platform, but we have yet to see if the Japanese brand can deliver.
So far, the Afeela 1’s pure EV specs already feel like a bit of a stretch, especially considering customers won’t receive their car until 2026.
At that point, MG claims it will have released a vehicle with solid-state battery technology and an all-electric range that could easily exceed 900 kilometers.