Japan's Sony Honda Mobility unveils new EV prototype at CES

Sony Honda Mobility has unveiled the AFEELA prototype 2026 at CES in Las Vegas, introducing a new phase for its EV lineup.

The Japanese joint venture between Sony and Honda plans to begin deliveries of its first production model, AFEELA 1, in California later this year, with expansion to Arizona set for 2027.

A production model based on the newly revealed AFEELA prototype 2026 is expected to launch in the US as early as 2028.

Trial production of AFEELA 1 has begun at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, with showrooms and delivery hubs opening in Torrance and Fremont, California, this spring.

Sony Honda Mobility said it will use Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis in its next-generation vehicles, and will launch a co-creation program for developers to build in-car entertainment apps.

🔗 Source: Sony Honda Mobility

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AFEELA 1 starts at $89,900 and aims for the luxury EV tier

Sony Honda Mobility plans California deliveries later this year for its first production model.

Origin starts at $89,900 with Signature at $102,900, putting it against the Genesis G90, BMW 7-series, plus Audi A8 1.
Pricing and specs signal a focus on traditional luxury shoppers, away from a tech-first Tesla rival image, with dual motors near 482 hp combined and premium audio 2.
The base trim comes only in black with 19-inch wheels, which makes it look like a price leader, while Signature will likely draw most buyers 2.
AFEELA 1 tops out at 150 kW DC fast charging, while Tesla Model S hits 250 kW and Lucid Air exceeds 300 kW 2.

A co-creation program could help studios reach and earn from AFEELA owners

Sony Honda Mobility will open its cars to third-party software to complement in-car entertainment.

Plans include Vehicle and Cloud application programming interfaces (APIs) with sandbox environments plus test vehicles for developers, which opens the platform beyond first-party content 3.
HERE Technologies, a location-mapping provider, partners on a navigation Software Development Kit (SDK) plus mobile app integration for in-car plus mobile experiences 4.
Gaming studios can use in-car PlayStation Remote Play and 360 Spatial Sound with Dolby Atmos to build experiences for parked or charging moments 2 5.
Content providers should watch pricing after the three-year free subscription to gauge revenue-sharing once paid plans launch 6.