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Think back to 2020, when Sony surprised us with the Vision-S, an electric car concept. After a few quiet years in the SUV variant, Sony has announced a partnership with Honda, called Sony and Honda Mobility, which will build the (ostensibly electric) car in the US. At CES 2023, Sony showed off a prototype and announced a new brand to all media: AFEELA.
While the final name isn't AFEELA, we're excited about the as-yet-unnamed Sony and Honda car - and not just for production plans (pre-orders in 2025, first North American deliveries in spring 2026). Considering the power of Sony and Honda's combined partnership, this could be the tech industry's first real car.
Features of the new electric car between Sony and Honda
Unfortunately, many details were not available from this partnership between Sony and Honda, such as power, range, number of engines, etc. We know it's a five-passenger sedan that's nearly as long as Acura's MDX SUV, but with a nearly 10-inch lower roofline, and that it'll have all-wheel drive.
Given Honda's time and partnership with GM, we think it can take advantage of the automaker's racing gear and Ultium batteries. We wonder if it could share blocks with Honda's upcoming Prologue electric SUV, though the AFEELA concept has a nearly 4-inch shorter wheelbase.
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Styling-wise, the AFEELA prototype looks a lot like the previous Sony Vision, with its creases and character lines removed, as if someone connected an air hose to the Vision-S01 sedan and gave it a '91 Chevrolet Caprice handles. The pixelated headlights remind us of the built-in glass units on the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the overall design is vaguely Citroën, but we can't quite tell what French it is.
The standout external feature is the media bar, a video screen between the headlights that Sony says will interact with passers-by: in addition to charging status, Sony also shows the media bar, local weather and Sony Movie Picture ads. It's worth noting that the display is the only place the AFEELA name appears besides the steering wheel, so perhaps there's still time for that to change.
At the rear, the AFEELA concept takes the form of a Kammback with Porsche-style full-width taillights topped by a panoramic sunroof. We can see what look like red brake calipers through the narrow mouths of the AFEELA wheels… sorry, wheels. Inside, AFEELA opted for a minimalist look, but not to the point of a Tesla Model 3.
Instead, the in-dash screens stretch from pillar to pillar in an arrangement that is very reminiscent of the look and feel of a Honda EV hatchback, including side-facing camera views on the outer edges. The steering wheel is a yoke; let's hope it's supported by something like Lexus' drive-by-wire variable ratio system rather than Tesla's loose implementation.
Sony-Honda Mobility has the boundless optimism of a technology company with a partnership and product portfolio that can make those dreams come true.
