Sony Honda Mobility built the first production Afeela 1 in Ohio, but for $102,900 does anyone actually want one? – Jalopnik

I was in Las Vegas at the Consumer Electronics Show in January 2020 (a memory that gives me chills), when automakers were still heavily invested in the show and its importance to the future of electric vehicles and autonomous driving. There were a lot of revelations that year, some from companies that no longer exist – although I did drive a Faraday Future FF91 prototype, and somehow they’re still kicking. But the debut that made the biggest impression was the Sony Vision-S, especially when it became clear how seriously Sony wanted to enter the automotive industry, possibly with multiple models.

Two years later, Sony joined Honda to form Sony Honda Mobility, and in 2023 that newly formed brand unveiled the Afeela 1 at CES, a prototype of the sedan that was said to be on sale in the US (and built in the US) starting in 2026. The production Afeela 1 was unveiled the following year with a huge focus on technology, but a duller overall design than Sony’s original, and specs that weren’t very competitive. It was hard to believe the car would ever come to fruition, but now Sony Honda Mobility says the first pilot production Afeela 1s have rolled off the assembly line in Ohio. How many people will actually buy the expensive EV remains to be seen.

Part of the Afeela’s dedicated part of the factory is what the company calls the Quality Gate, essentially a fancy multi-inspection room that’s necessary because the Afeela has things like big screens, PlayStation Remote Play, 40 sensors and AI. SHM says:

The Quality Gate facility plans to conduct unique inspections from two primary perspectives to fully ensure AFEELA quality:

• Function inspection: In addition to traditional production quality, SHM will verify the operation of AFEELA’s unique intelligent functions, including the in-car infotainment system, various sensors and the stability of connectivity.
• Exterior inspection: SHM will thoroughly verify the perfection of the exterior design that symbolizes the AFEELA brand. This includes close inspection of design elements including vehicle surface continuity, reflection uniformity and accurate colors.

In addition, Quality Gate serves as a feedback function for stabilizing production quality. Various data collected at the plant will be fed back to SHM’s vehicle design department and the production floor of Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant, helping to stabilize AFEELA’s production quality and continuous improvement.

Yes, you get air suspension and a twin-motor all-wheel drive with 483 horsepower, plus standard features like power-closing doors, customizable exterior displays, a spatial sound system, hands-free Level 2 automated driving and that dashboard-spanning infotainment system. But the Afeela 1’s 91 kWh battery pack can only handle DC fast charging at a maximum of 150 kW, and its EPA-estimated range is up to 300 miles. That’s just not good enough in 2026, where a $39,100 Hyundai Ioniq 5 has longer range and more than double the charging speed. Spend $90,000 on Lucid and you get an Air Touring that has a lot more power, a longer range of 130 miles, a 250 kW charging capacity and a much better overall design; go for the $114,900 Air Grand Touring and you get almost double the power of the Afeela, a mega range of 830 kilometers and 300 kW fast charging. And they’re built in the US too (albeit with more sinister backing).

Look, I’m not trying to be a hater here. I like the idea of ​​a Sony car, especially one made in collaboration with Honda, but this just isn’t it. Despite being developed with the help of “Gran Turismo”, I can’t imagine the Afeela 1 will be so great to drive or that the interior experience will be so impressive that it will make sense compared to the ever-growing number of competitors. SHM has already teased an Afeela crossover, which should at least appeal to more Americans, and is working on an affordable compact camera. I’d like to see that now.