At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) attracted attention when it first revealed the SUV prototype of the Afeela brand, in the context that the Afeela 1 sedan is approaching the mass production stage.
This move shows the long-term ambition of the Sony - Honda joint venture in shaping an electric car concept not only for travel, but also as a high-class digital experience space.
The new SUV prototype, tentatively called Prototype 2026, is the second model in the Afeela product line.
Although SHM has not announced detailed technical specifications, the company confirms that the commercial version based on this concept is expected to be launched in 2028.
Compared to the Afeela 1 sedan, the SUV model is slightly larger, aimed at customers who need more spacious space, but still retains the design philosophy and core technology of Afeela.
According to Mr. Shugo Yamaguchi - Chairman and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility of America, Afeela does not set a goal to become a mass electric vehicle brand.
We accept focusing on a niche market, with lower output but higher value for customers," Mr. Yamaguchi emphasized.
That also explains why SHM does not expect large sales from Afeela 1, a sedan model with a starting price of about 89,900 - 90,000 USD.
Instead of chasing quantity, SHM wants to create a completely new travel experience.
Afeela is positioned as a "creative entertainment space", where drivers and passengers can relax, entertain and interact with digital technology.
In the future, this will be supported by a level 4 equivalent automatic driving system, based on the Afeela Intelligent Drive platform and Qualcomm's Snapdragon digital chassis.
However, in the early stages, Afeela 1 was only equipped with a level 2+ driving assistance system, requiring the driver to still control the car.
The big highlight of Afeela 1 lies in the entertainment and personalization ecosystem.
At CES, music producer Tomoko Ida performed exclusive Afeela sounds, including sound simulating electric motors when accelerating.
Users can customize the interface, the themes displayed on many screens in the car, as well as install different digital applications.
Notably, SHM is building a digital asset sharing platform based on blockchain technology, with a token incentive mechanism.
According to Mr. Yamaguchi, blockchain is considered a suitable technology to maximize creative value and personalization in the future, although specific details have not yet been announced.
Afeela 1 will also be the first car to integrate PlayStation Remote Play, allowing PlayStation games to be transmitted to the car's in-car screen via 5G connection.
In addition, Afeela Personal Agent, an AI voice assistant that allows users to interact directly with the car, while the ADAS system uses an AI terminal model with an integrated language-image model.
Regarding the commercial route, Afeela 1 will be produced at Honda's East Liberty factory in Ohio.
Test production phases begin in the fall of 2025, first delivery in California by the end of 2026. Japan and Arizona will follow in 2027, while Europe and the robot taxi models are not yet in the short-term plan.
SHM said that they will expand cautiously, prioritizing service quality for core customer groups before thinking about larger scale.
