CES 2023: Sony and Honda Unveil Afeela Electric Saloon
We now know the name of Sony and Honda’s electric vehicle brand, alongside new information on that brand’s very first vehicle.
A spaceship has landed at CES 2023 © Credit to Sony
The Consumer Electronics Show currently taking place in Las Vegas has once again provided us with another gem, this time from Sony and Honda who have come together to collaborate on an electric saloon. What’s more, we now know the name of the EV brand, ‘Afeela.’
This was revealed on stage at CES by Sony Honda Mobility chief executive Yasuhide Mizuno, who said it represented “a new relationship between people and mobility”.
The name of the vehicle is unknown at this time but we do know it will be a four-door fastback saloon that will be available for pre-order in the first half of 2025 before sales start at the end of that year. Deliveries are slated for spring 2026 in North America.
The model’s design features no door handles, digital mirrors, a sleek roofline, and a ‘media’ light bar positioned at the front that can be interacted with.
Size-wise, the EV measures 4895mm long, 1900mm wide and 1460mm tall, similar to the Hyundai Ioniq 6.
The saloon seats five people, who have the pleasure of sitting beneath a large panoramic roof.
Sony Honda Mobility says the production model will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis technology, which provides drivers with intelligent artificial intelligence systems, enhanced personalisation and other intuitive technologies.
Afeela says the EV can process up to 800 trillion operations per second and is fitted with 45 cameras/sensors that power its level-three automated driving systems.
“The minimal decorative lines and form” are said to look like spaceships, according to the brand, adding: “The round motif encapsulates technology, which evokes a feeling of a new mobility experience and embodies an embracing feel of a new ideal mobility.”
We should point out that this relationship between the two giants goes beyond a one-off EV. The two share a joint venture (Sony Honda Mobility), meaning this is likely to be one of several vehicles in the pipeline, so watch this space.
Who hear expected Sony, of all companies, to announce electric vehicle plans before Apple? We didn’t, that’s for sure. Let us know via social media what you think of the name Afeela.
Leave a comment