After three years of tantalizing prototypes and many “doubt moments”, Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) has used CES 2026 in Las Vegas to prove that the Afeela 1 is no longer just a fever dream of the tech industry. The joint Japanese alliance is currently showcasing a pre-production version of the electric limousine, signaling that the official market launch is imminent.
If you happen to live in California, you might see these $89,990 “gadgets on wheels” by the end of this year, with Arizona deliveries following in 2025 and Japan getting its turn in 2027. The narrow initial release isn’t just about exclusivity; it’s about regulation.
The Afeela 1 is essentially a rolling supercomputer powered by a Qualcomm processor with 800 TOPS of processing power and an army of 40 sensors, including 18 cameras, a LiDAR unit, and various radar and ultrasonic sensors. This hardware is designed to support the Afeela Intelligent Drive, a system evolving into a full AI model that integrates a Visual Language Model (VLM).
Of course, in true modern fashion, the dream of Level 4 autonomous driving comes with a catch. While the car supports Level 2+ assistance out of the box, some of the coolest futuristic features will stay locked behind a paid subscription. In the future, your car’s autonomy might depend on your credit card’s expiration date.
For those who prefer a bit more height, SHM also pulled the curtain back on the Afeela Prototype 2026, a sleek SUV coupe that mirrors the design language of its sedan sibling but promises more “spatial flexibility”.
While technical specs for the SUV are still a mystery, a production version is already slated for a 2028 US launch. With production tests already conducted at Honda’s plant in East Liberty, Ohio, and new “Afeela Studios” opening in Torrance and Fremont, Sony and Honda are betting nearly 90,000 dollars for a cinematic experience.
