Sony-Honda JV Electric Car – First Afeela EV Prototype Debuts
Sony-Honda JV Electric Car: In addition to the Sony-Honda joint venture’s Afeela electric vehicle brand, Honda plans to introduce its own array of electric vehicles.
Sony is a trusted brand in many different appliance categories, including batteries, electronics, audio, optical, fun, screens, and TVs. Sony’s Vision S electric vehicle prototype startled the industry at the Consumer Electronics Show in 2020. Sony said that the service was in the testing phase and that they had no plans to roll it out to the public.
As a concept automobile, the Vision S was very gorgeous. Sony could not have developed an EV independently because of their lack of experience in the auto industry. However, Sony has played a Bazinga card by teaming up with Honda to launch a new electric vehicle brand called Afeela. In the same vein as the Vision S concept, the Afeela prototype is an electric car.
Sony-Honda Joint Venture
A wide digital display that spans the width of the cabin is just one of the many elements that make this vehicle stand out from the crowd. Even though the PS5 has yet to be widely distributed, Sony has plans to include the console in their upcoming automobiles.
Sony is well aware of the significance of subscription services, as they are one of its core industries. Supposedly, Afeela automobiles use a similar system. Like Tesla vehicles, which include Autopilot hardware as standard, but unlock it via software after payment, a subscription model might be used to make many of the most notable functions available.
In terms of aesthetics, it’s a bit of a hodgepodge. The lower half of the vehicle is quite boxy and spare, while the roofline slopes steeply downward to create a coupe silhouette. Porsche and Lucid vehicles have been major sources of motivation. This is clear from every angle of the vehicle, including the front LED light bar.
Some reports also suggest that Sony contributed to the product’s design and development. In contrast to popular belief, both Apple and Google actually produce physical products in addition to their software. Beyond their work on the Afeela automobiles with Sony, Honda is also getting ready for the EV future. The introduction of the NSX hybrid supercar and the Honda e compact electric hatchback are two examples.
Honda is teaming up with General Motors to create the first long-range electric vehicle, called Prologue. General Motors’ Ultium platform will underlie both the Acura EV and the Honda EV.
Specs & Pricing
The Afeela electric vehicle prototype has been shrouded in mystery. Intimidating acceleration and a range of 500 kilometers on a single charge are predicted from a massive battery with a capacity of roughly 100 kWh. The installation of high-tech sensors, cameras, LIDAR sensors, and radar modules at strategic areas paves the way for both current and future forms of autonomous driving.
It is speculated that one of Honda’s 12 North American assembly plants is where Afeela automobiles are made. Initial reservations can be made starting in 2025, with a full rollout happening in 2026. Sony-joint Honda’s venture is planning to release Afeela-branded EVs in Japan and Europe shortly.
Already in testing is a production version of the Afeela sedan EV, which will compete for head-on with high-end options like the Mercedes-Benz EQS, Porsche Taycan, Tesla Model S, and Lucid Air. The highest-end versions are predicted to cost more than $100,000 (about Rs. 82 lahks).
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