Afeela 1: Honda Sony show their electric car at CES

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A collaboration between Sony and Honda has been announced for some time. Sony is looking for new sales opportunities, Honda needs to step up its game in electromobility. Previous models have not given the impression that such a prominent brand is pursuing this branch with any vigor. After many announcements, there is now a preview of the Afeela 1 production model at CES - although this is not expected in the short term. The saloon is not due to go on sale in the USA until mid-2026, while Europe will probably not be supplied until 2027.

Technical data

The preliminary key data are not exceptional, but already rather average in the target segment. Two electric motors on the front and rear axles each deliver 180 kW, which means that the Afeela 1 does not stand out among electric cars in times of general power inflation. The battery is said to have an energy content of 91 kWh, which is also no longer a figure with which the competition can be outdone. The range is said to be 300 miles in the American EPA cycle. That would be just under 500 km. In all likelihood, the Afeela 1 will not be competing with exceptionally low fuel consumption. A maximum charging capacity of 150 kW is also not a value that is likely to impress. We can only hope that this charging power is at least available within a wide window. It seems bold to want to launch a saloon with these key data on the market in a year and a half at prices starting at 90,000 US dollars.

Large displays

The Afeela 1 aims to win over its target group with its exceptionally powerful entertainment electronics, among other things. It will not be easy to stand out here, especially as the pace of development is very high. In the interior, you can see a panoramic display that extends from door to door. Sony is responsible for the sound and display. It is certain that Amazon, Spotify, Tune-in and Audible are included. Presumably also TikTok, although this is not certain.

The assistance system is also set to be particularly advanced. Honda and Sony are advertising at the CES that the Afeela 1 will have up to 40 cameras. If the saloon really wants to play a leading role in this area, a convincing Level 3 appearance is the lower limit of what customers can expect. This would mean that the driver would no longer have to continuously monitor the car in at least one precisely defined scenario, but would have to be able to take back control of the vehicle at any time within a few seconds.

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Sony-Honda Afeela 1 (7 Bilder)

Hardly any choice

Sony Honda Mobility wants to revolutionize the travel experience and improve the relationship with people through intelligent mobility, Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno advertised during the presentation of the Afeela 1 at CES. How and whether this will succeed remains to be seen. It is already clear that the Japanese company, like some of its competitors, wants to keep production costs low by offering a very limited number of options. Customers only have to choose between three paint finishes (grey, white or black), two interior colors (grey or black) and two equipment lines.

The entry-level model is called "Origin" and costs at least 89,900 US dollars. The provisional top-of-the-range "Signature" version will be sold from 102,900 US dollars. For this price, the rear infotainment system, Center Camera Monitoring System (C-CMS), which should monitor the interior, and 21-inch rims are also included as standard. However, this is unlikely to be the decisive factor for success, but rather whether the joint venture succeeds in selling a battery-electric saloon with technical data that is already average at best for an upmarket price.

Heise Medien is the official media partner of CES 2025.

(mma)