- Afeela 1 deliveries will finally begin later this year
- A new all-electric SUV is planned for 2028
- Sony and Honda say it will target a wider range of users
Sony Honda Mobility likes to use CES as a platform to showcase its long-awaited Afeela 1 electric vehicle, to the point where it has become an annual tradition to drive it on stage.
This year, the pair unveiled what they described as a “pre-production model” that is essentially the same as the $102,900 vehicles due to be delivered in the coming months.
But despite yet to hand over keys to customers, Sony Honda Mobility is already teasing an SUV variant that it claims will offer “greater spatial flexibility and accessibility” as well as appeal to a wider range of users.
It is based on the same basic principles as Afeela 1, which means that it will contain the same personal agent that leverages the Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service for natural dialogue between man and machine.
There’s also a Snapdragon Digital Chassis, which the company says helps it deliver “AI-centric next-generation mobility experiences”, while the ability to play PlayStation 5 directly on the vehicle’s infotainment system will remain a key draw for potential gamers.
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Sony Honda Mobility otherwise remains tight-lipped about the details of the larger SUV, which is planned for launch in the US as early as 2028.
All we know is that it looks strikingly like the sedan, albeit with a raised ride height, and that it will most likely have the same sensor suite that enables the Afeela 1 to offer advanced levels of autonomous driving.
The company says it aims to achieve Level 4-equivalent autonomous driving capabilities in the future, transforming the space inside the vehicle into a “driverless” environment where passengers can apparently enjoy entertainment.
A bumpy road ahead
It feels like the Afeela 1 has been a very long time in the making, with Chinese tech brands such as Xiaomi and Huawei launching and selling a number of highly advanced electric cars in their home market in the time it has taken Sony Honda Mobility to get to a pre-production stage.
What’s more, the Signature version, which will be delivered first, starts at $102,900 (around £77,000 / AU$155,000), with the ‘cheaper’ $89,900 Origin (around £67,000 / AU$135,000) not arriving until 2027, which can only deliver a lot of money until 2027. 300 miles of range on a single charging.
Just across the Las Vegas Convention Center, BMW was busy showing off its upcoming iX3 model, which is expected to start at around $60,000 (about £45,000 / AU$90,000) and is touted to deliver up to 400 miles on a full charge.
While there is no word on price, the upcoming SUV is likely to follow a similar pricing strategy and could potentially cost even more than the Afeela 1 sedan.
Sony Honda Mobility might need a little more than a digital license plate and in-car PlayStation to convince customers to part with that much cash.
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