- It’s happening! This Sony-Honda EV sedan collab is finally set to launch mid-2026
- The manufacturer even stuck a price tag on the Afeela 1, one just shy of $100,000
- The car should boast about 480 km of range, and will first go on sale only in California
It’s been half-a-decade since Sony first rolled its Vision concept car across a stage, prompting jokes about whether a company more widely known for developing PlayStation game systems than cars would permit the thing to be driven by a handheld controller with joysticks. The car then entered an eventual tie-up with Honda, culminating at this year’s CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas with the unveiling of its price and some basic specs. How’s a six-figure price tag and a driving range of about 480 kilometres (300 miles) sound?
If you answered “mystifying,” you’re not alone — especially since those specifications are for a vehicle which doesn’t really stand out stylistically, nor does it bring the heavy in terms of revolutionary battery tech. And, oh, yeah, the car is only available in California, at least at the start.
But there will be plenty of time for passing judgment on this thing. For now, some details. Being marketed under the combined banner of “Sony Honda Mobility,” the Afeela 1 is a four-door EV with a sedan-like shadow, playing in a world with a big appetite for SUVs and crossovers. The car is said to measure 193.5 inches from bumper to bumper, and is 57.5 inches tall, with a body width of 74.5 inches. For reference, that’s about a half-foot longer than a Tesla Model 3, but about three inches shorter than a Model S.
Range is estimated to be in the 300-mile (480-km) ballpark, but that is for the $89,990 Origin trim. The snazzier $102,900 Signature trim will have 21-inch wheels, suggesting its range will be less unless its battery is larger. Initial specs suggest it is not. The maximum refill rate of 150 kW at a DC charger is nothing to write home about, nor is the battery’s 91-kWh capacity.
However, the Afeela 1 does have all-wheel-drive thanks to front and rear electric motors, each of which belts out 180 kW (about 240 hp). Those pods atop the windshield, which look like clearance lights on a Ford Super Duty, are part of the expansive ADAS equipment, which uses up to 40 cameras and sensors.
Complicating matters will be the issue of availability. The more expensive Signature trim will arrive first in mid-2026, but the Origin trim, which get the $89,900 price seen in headlines, won’t show its (bland) face until 2027. You can have an Afeela 1 Origin in any colour you want, so long as it’s black, by the way; the Signature will also come in white and gray. Interested parties can plunk down a $200 refundable deposit to get their name on a list.
In better news about Honda, its engineers are boasting about the work progressing on hybrid powertrain solutions, one of which is destined for the exciting new Prelude. Two new four-cylinder hybrid engines, in 1.5L and 2.0L variants, will leverage torque by using battery assist at cruising speeds.
In particular, Honda says the 1.5L should see a significant improvement in fuel economy compared to the current 1.5L hybrid by expanding the range by nearly half, in which its RPM becomes highly efficient in balance with engine torque. In plain English, that simply means a flatter torque curve so the powertrain feels more responsive at a variety of engine speeds.