Honda, Sony bare names for EV brand, concept car

Sony Honda Mobility Inc. (SHM) has announced the name for its mobility brand and revealed its prototype to the public.

 During this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, the collaboration between the tech giant and Japanese mobility marque shared that the brand as well as its concept car are both named Afeela.

SHM said that the prototype vehicle — which “expresses its vision of creating a new relationship between people and mobility” — will serve as its basis in creating the production model.

“The design of this prototype aims to create a new value standard for mobility. As we reach an inflection point where the elements of a car are shifting from power and performance to software, networks, and user experiences, we reexamined the individuality and form of vehicle design up until now, and by further refining, we aimed to highlight the essential values and sublimate them into a pure and strong design,” the company noted.

The vehicle’s design concept is very clean and conveys a very minimalist appeal. The uncluttered look is carried over inside the cabin that features a simple and human-centric layout with minimal ornamentation and colors.

But don’t let that deceive you as the vehicle comes heavily armed in terms of technology.

Starting from the outside, Afeela’s concept car has a media bar — a slender exterior display screen just above the car’s front bumper — that shows information and interacts with people outside the vehicle.

Further, the Afeela’s fabric found mainly on the seats can purify the air inside the vehicle.

Moreover, the dashboard is fitted with a panoramic screen that runs across the whole front area. The steering wheel’s top portion has been cut to “minimize the distraction of the screen.”

Moreover, the Afeela prototype is fitted with 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the vehicle.

“We aim to achieve the world's highest-level AD/ADAS by combining Sony's sensor technology, Honda's safety technology, and many intelligent technologies. We are aiming to develop level 3 autonomous driving optimized for specific conditions, as well as driving assistance features such as level 2+ autonomy for urban and other wide range of conditions,” the company said on its website.

The company plans to start taking pre-orders in the first half of 2025, commence sales by the end of 2025, and to begin delivery from spring in 2026 in North America.

Photos from Sony Honda Mobility Inc.

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