The Afeela 1, which Honda is making together with Sony, will be an extremely expensive pleasure. In fact, it will be more expensive than the Tesla Model S.
Honda's first electric car, the Afeela 1, developed in collaboration with Sony, is expected to be more expensive than the Tesla Model S. The price for the base model of the Afeela 1 starts at $89,900, which is equivalent to approximately 638,000 kroner.
For comparison, the Tesla Model S starts at $79,990 in the US. Or – in Danish currency – 579,000 kroner.
The Afeela 1, which was first introduced two years ago, is the result of a collaboration between electronics giant Sony and car manufacturer Honda that began in 2020.
The car is expected to come in two different versions. In addition to the base model, there will also be a more equipped version for $102,900. The price of the base model includes a three-year subscription to select features.
Production of the Afeela 1 is planned to take place at a new factory in Ohio. Sales of the car will initially be limited to California, but are expected to expand to the rest of the US and Japan in 2026. No plans have yet been announced for exports to other countries.
"Sony Honda Mobility is working to develop relationships with people through intelligent mobility to revolutionize the travel experience," said Yasuhide Mizuno, board member and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility Inc., in a press release .
A key focus area for Afeela 1 is technology, developed under the slogan "autonomy, amplification, connection". The car will be equipped with 40 sensors, including cameras, lidar, radar and ultrasonic sensors, that record and collect data from the environment. This data is visualized on the car's screen, which uses the Epic Games game engine.
Detailed information about the electric car's technical specifications has not been released, but Sony and Honda have indicated that they are aiming for a range of 300 miles, equivalent to 482 kilometers.
The Afeela 1 is a more expensive electric car than the Tesla Model S. But it offers advanced technology and a focus on user experience. Whether that's enough to attract buyers remains to be seen.
