Sony Honda Mobility’s Electric SUV Takes Shape at CES, Named AFEELA Prototype 2026

Sony Honda Mobility just had their huge press conference at CES in Las Vegas, but what was the true message? Well, we know the AFEELA 1 sedan will be available later this year. However, the true show-stopper was yet to arrive: the AFEELA Prototype 2026, a compact electric SUV that not only provides clients with another option, but also demonstrates additional space and functionality.

The AFEELA Prototype 2026 has the elegant looks of previous concepts such as the Vision-S 02, but it feels much more real this time. The roof dips down toward the rear in a fastback manner, making it appear sporty but not so showy that it turns you off, and the design is still rather simple, which we like. Yes, it is much larger than the Afeela 1 sedan, providing significantly more space for people and goods, which is wonderful news for families and anyone who is constantly hauling a lot of additional luggage about.

To be honest, there isn’t much information on the powertrain yet, but sources say it will have dual electric motors for all-wheel drive, similar to the AFEELA 1, and a gigantic 91 kWh battery pack, providing an estimated 400 horsepower and a 300-mile range. Charging speed will also be impressive, with DC fast chargers capable of reaching 150 kW. So we may expect very similar performance to the AFEELA 1, but perhaps a little more tuned to accommodate the SUV’s greater height and weight.

Afeela emphasizes advanced driver assistance. We’re talking Level 2+ capabilities right out of the box, which allows you to drive hands-free on the correct routes and even let it to take entire control; all we need now is some software tuning, and we could see Level 4 autonomy in this kid. So, how does it all work? Well, it’s a combination of cameras, radar, ultrasound, and a LiDAR on the roof that work together to ensure the Afeela is aware of everything going on around it. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Digital Chassis provides more power to the electronics.

Inside, the AFEELA Prototype 2026 focuses on the extras. You have one large screen that spans the front of the car for streaming your favorite shows or simply receiving some good directions. The major news here is the PlayStation integration, which allows you to stream games from your home console directly onto the car’s screens via a DualSense controller and a mobile data connection. They even have some pretty unique custom themes on exhibit, such as a Gran Turismo theme that entirely alters the color of your dashboard and lighting.

Sony’s Co-Creation Program allows designers and artists to create elements of the car’s in-car content, such as new wallpapers and ambient lighting. They can even get their hands on some very valuable APIs to help them be innovative. What type of content can you expect? We’ve heard that some of the first innovations combined electronic music with traditional Japanese instruments, such as giving the car a cool chime as it starts.

The AFEELA 1 car is slated to arrive in California later this year. Once built at Honda’s Ohio plant, where it had some quite good testing runs last fall, the aim is to have it in Arizona by 2027, followed by Japan shortly after that. We can’t predict exactly when the production version of the AFEELA Prototype 2026 will be available, but it’s expected to arrive in the United States by 2028 at the latest.