Sony and Honda have paired together to create a new line of electric vehicles (EVs) called Afeela.
Key Details
- Sony and Honda’s joining mobility venture is bringing a new EV to the car space called Afeela, with the car expected to go on sale in the U.S. in 2026.
- Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno says the new EV prototype will leverage Sony’s experience with AI, entertainment, virtual reality, and augmented reality to present an EV different than the others.
- The car will be state-of-the-art—bringing new concepts to the EV space, and Mizuno says the car will have three main themes: autonomy, augmentation, and affinity.
Why it’s news
Sony and Honda have partnered together to bring next-level EVs to the automotive space, with the pair’s first prototype set to release in 2026.
The Afeela is the duo’s first car and was recently presented at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The two want to take Sony’s entertainment equipment and put it into an EV, making something never seen before.
Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno says the new EV prototype will leverage Sony’s experience with AI, entertainment, virtual reality, and augmented reality to present a unique EV.
“Afeela represents our concept of an interactive relationship where people feel the sensation of interactive mobility and where mobility can detect and understand people and society by utilizing sensing and AI technologies,” Mizuno says.
The vehicle will come equipped with over 40 sensors, cameras, radars, and lidar technology to help it be aware of its surroundings. The Afeela will be priced to compete with other luxury brands such as Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo, and Audi.
Honda and Sony want the car to have next-level entertainment features and even considered the idea of integrating a full PS5 gaming system into the vehicles, which is one of Sony’s hot technologies.
The Afeela will be produced in 12 of Honda’s U.S. facilities with plans of debuting in the U.S. in 2026, followed by Japan and Europe. Preorders for the vehicle are expected to start in 2025.
