Sony-Honda’s Afeela 1 EV Priced Like a Luxury Car, Reservations Open in California
This week at CES 2025 in Las Vegas, Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) announced that the first model to be sold under the Afeela brand, simply called Afeela 1, is scheduled for production at Honda’s state-of-art EV Hub in Ohio with official sales in California anticipated in 2025 and deliveries to start in mid-2026.
The electric sedan will be available in two trims—Origin starting from $89,900 and Signature starting from $102,900 (the latter to arrive first). Online reservations through the Afeela website are now open exclusively to customers in California with a fully refundable deposit of $200.
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Those are pretty steep prices that put the Afeela 1 in the same league as luxury cars like the BMW 7 Series and Porsche Taycan. Of course, a number of options can be tacked on. Some advanced features and functions require a subscription, which will be free for the first three years. The list includes Afeela Intelligent Drive (Level 2+ driving assist), Afeela Personal Agent (with conversational skills and the ability to provide suggestions) and 5G data connectivity.
When it comes to exterior colours, however, selection is limited to three: Core Black, Tidal Gray and Calm White.
As far as performance is concerned, the Afeela 1 boasts a 91kWh battery that is projected to deliver approximately 480 km of range. Incidentally, charging will be compatible with Tesla’s Superchargers via a built-in NACS charging port. Two 241-hp motors (one for each axle) make for an AWD setup, while a 3D Motion Management System integrates control of the motors, brakes and suspension to provide optimal ride quality and handling on various road surfaces.
In addition to a wide array of safety and driver assistance features (with as many as 40 cameras, LiDAR, radars and ultrasonic sensors), the Afeela 1 uses plant-derived and recycled materials for approximately 70 percent of the interior. There’s a unique Sony 360 Spatial Sound Technologies audio system providing an immersive experience, as well as a combination of displays stretching from pillar to pillar.
The yoke-style steering wheel provides an unobstructed view of driving data, while the standalone centre console (with a giant rotary controller on top) maximizes legroom. Rear-seat passengers get their own displays, too.
At CES in Las Vegas, SHM also announced that deliveries of the Afeela 1 in Japan are scheduled to begin in 2026. No plan for Canada is on the table right now.
