Proper now, China’s electrical car sector is delivering a technology of recent vehicles so high-tech that they make among the greatest rides in America appear to be no matter hooptie you drove in highschool. They’re electrical, crammed with screens and software program options, and linked. Right here’s an excellent instance: the Xiaomi SU7, the primary EV from the smartphone large, which set China on fireplace with its high-tech and glossy design and offered 135,000 models in its first full 12 months.
It’s clear that if Japan, Europe, and the U.S. wish to compete, firms might want to group up and construct the sorts of high-tech automobiles China already has—and quick. That’s precisely what Sony and Honda goal to do with their new luxury-tech EV model, Afeela. Underneath a three way partnership generally known as Sony-Honda Mobility, the Afeela model plans to launch its first automobile, a $60,000 luxurious sedan, in 2026.
Chances are you’ll acknowledge this idea—Sony and Honda debuted it at CES 2024, with buyer orders set to open this 12 months. Afeela has additionally promised an SUV and a less expensive mannequin down the road. And an up to date model of the prototype is set to debut at CES 2025 this night.
Forward of that occasion, InsideEVs was invited to take a look at a prototype of that first mannequin in New York, and I used to be curious to get a take a look at it: Did it work? Is that this strategy to EVs one thing Individuals can be occupied with, and may the 2 firms really carry it to fruition?
At first look, the Afeela appears to be like just like the generic-drug equal of a Lucid Air, or maybe a contemporary incarnation of a Saab 9-5. Both approach, it’s glossy and inoffensive. However inside is the place issues get thrilling. Up entrance, a curved, high-res show stretches from one side-view mirror to the opposite (in some markets, the Afeela gained’t have mirrors in any respect, simply cameras.) You possibly can drag and drop maps, music menus, films, and video games from one aspect to a different, and the front-seat passenger can watch a film with out glare distracting the driving force. After all, there are Sony tablets mounted to the seatbacks in order that passengers within the surprisingly spacious again seat can maintain themselves entertained, too.
Earlier than anybody asks: Sure, you possibly can play Fortnite within the Afeela, however solely when the automobile is stopped. The consultant couldn’t inform me whether or not gameplay required a close-by wi-fi connection to a PS5 (driveway at house) or whether or not a extra distant connection was potential (workplace parking zone throughout a lunch break), however I’d should think about it’s the latter. That turned a theme: I’d ask for particulars on a characteristic, and would obtain a solution of “keep tuned.”
Nowadays, Sony could not carry fairly the high-tech smartphone model cachet of an Apple—or a Xiaomi—however its gadgets have undeniably modified realms of non-public leisure. The Walkman turned bringing music with you right into a pocket-sized proposition, whereas the PlayStation continues to be essentially the most profitable line of gaming consoles ever produced. Pair that shopper intuition with Honda’s engineering may and Sony’s veritable treasure trove of a content material library, and issues get promising.
Constructing vehicles is tough, particularly in at present’s panorama of unsure tariffs. Afeela clearly has a methods to go earlier than the rubber meets the highway. I’m rooting for Sony and Honda although, as a result of this idea exhibits a real intent to compete with China in methods nobody else has.
Take a look at the total video above for extra on the Afeela’s tech. Do you suppose it might succeed right here?
