Credit: Sony Honda Mobilty

The annual Consumer Electronics Show got underway in Las Vegas this week, but Winter Storm Blair unraveled my plan to be on the ground to check things out in person. That means I still haven't had an in-person look at the Sony Honda Mobility Afeela, a new electric sedan that goes on sale in California later this year.

Sony stunned everyone by first showing off an electric concept car at CES in 2020. Meant to showcase the Japanese technology company's wide range of products, from sensors to digital entertainment, the concept left many scratching their heads about Sony's true intention here—surely the company wasn't also about to start making cars?

But that turned out to be exactly the plan. Although Sony began developing its EV with the contract manufacturer (and tier 1 supplier) Magna Steyr, the car—now called the Afeela 1—will be built by Honda, which formed a strategic alliance with Sony to create the aforementioned Sony Honda Mobility, which will sell the new car.

If you were hoping for something affordable, get ready to register your displeasure in the comments now, because the SHM Afeela will start at $89,900 for the Afeela 1 Origin.

"Sony Honda Mobility strives to evolve relationships with people through intelligent mobility and revolutionize the travel experience. We are very pleased to unveil Afeela 1, developed for the era of autonomous driving, at CES 2025. Afeela 1 can be called a buddy, combining advanced software with meticulously refined hardware. We will meet our customers' expectations by providing a safe, secure, and comfortable travel experience," said Yasuhide Mizuno, chairperson and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility.

ADAS, entertainment, AI

The Afeela 1 is loaded with a combined 40 different sensors—a mix of optical cameras, lidar, radar, and ultrasonics—and onboard computing capable of 800 TOPS to control the advanced driver assistance systems. However, some of that functionality requires an ongoing subscription, which is only free for the first three years. (The subscription also includes the Afeela personal AI assistant and the ability to customize the car's UI theme.)

SHM also wants the Afeela 1 to be a platform for its entertainment content, so the company has fitted the car with a spatial sound system that even supports Dolby Atmos content. SHM has also signed partnerships with Spotify, Amazon Music, and Audible to provide in-car content.

Technical specs for the powertrain are still hard to come by, but SHM says that it's targeting a range of 300 miles (482 km) for the Afeela 1, which uses a NACS (J3400) plug, meaning it will be compatible with the Tesla Supercharger network.

Orders are open now

Credit: Sony Honda Mobility

In fact, if you want to be one of the first to get behind the wheel of an Afeela 1—which goes on sale just in California to begin with—you'll need even deeper pockets. Sales begin with the Afeela 1 Signature, deliveries of which are scheduled for mid-2026. This version will cost $102,900, although you do get 21-inch wheels, a rear infotainment system, and a camera-based rearview mirror. The Afeela 1 Signature will come in gray, white, or black, with the choice of either a black or gray interior. SHM has opened its order books now, and you can reserve one for $200.