Sony Honda Mobility introduced the Afeela brand at CES by showing a sedan prototype that previews a production model, which will arrive in North America in 2026. While that’s a ways off, the brand is already looking ahead and thinking about their future lineup. Speaking to Autocar, Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno said, “We’re thinking about the second and third models. We need a lineup, not only one unit.” He went on to say the company is considering an assortment of different options including a crossover, another sedan, and even an MPV.
While MPVs have fallen out of favor with
consumers, Mizuno suggested autonomous driving technology could make them
relevant again. Nothing has been
decided, but he told the publication an MPV “depends on autonomous driving
development. If we reach level three, level four, then perhaps everybody needs
a ‘party car.'”
Regardless of what Afeela’s future lineup
looks like, it sounds like additional vehicles will arrive in quick secession
as the company can’t survive on one product alone. As a result, we shouldn’t
have to wait long to see the sedan joined by another vehicle. While Sony Honda
Mobility said virtually nothing about the prototype in its initial press
release, Mizuno revealed the upcoming sedan will ride on Honda’s new
e:Architecture. As a result, it’s not
surprising to learn Honda will reportedly be responsible for performance
specifications as well as battery sourcing, range, and charging capabilities.
The publication went on to say the Afeela
sedan will be built in the United States and initially launched there. It will then be sold in Japan and Europe,
with the latter getting vehicles in late 2026 or early 2027. Lastly, Afeela
models reportedly won’t target premium brands as they’re instead aiming to
offer “high-value” vehicles. This
suggests they will be positioned above Honda EVs, but whether they slot above
or below Acura remains to be seen.