It’s been years since we first saw Sony and Honda’s joint project, the Afeela 1 electric sedan, but now that the nascent company is finally getting production of the incredibly expensive 1 off the ground, Sony Honda Mobility felt it was the perfect time to pull the covers off its next act: the creatively named Afeela Prototype 2026. It’s meant to represent Afeela’s second model, a crossover coupe of sorts, and it looks a lot like an Afeela 1 that has been inflated with a bicycle pump. (It also doesn’t look like exactly like the SUV that was teased two years ago, which seemed less coupe-y.)
Right now, not too much is known about the Afeela Prototype 2026. After all, it only made a brief on-stage appearance at Afeela’s 2026 CES press conference, and the company’s press release barely talks about it. SHM, Afeela’s chairperson and CEO, gave just two details given about the Prototype 2026 at the conference, according to InsideEVs. It will have more space than the Afeela 1 sedan (no doy, bro, it’s bigger), and the company will develop a production model for the U.S. market as early as 2028. That’s an incredibly tall order when you consider the Afeela 1 just went into trial production.
Afeela
In a statement, Afeela says the crossover “builds on the core concepts of the Afeela 1,” while also offering “greater spatial flexibility and accessibility, aiming to deliver joy and value to a broader range of users.” I’m going out on a bit of a limb here, but that last bit makes it sound like Afeela knows it might have made a bit of a misstep by launching its company with a sedan rather than a crossover, which have proven to be far more popular in today’s marketplace.
Afeela a bit bigger
It’s hard to tell the exact scale of the Afeela Prototype 2026. From the photos, it’s certainly taller in height than the 1, but it seems a bit shorter in overall length. If I had to guess, it’s probably Tesla Model Y–sized, which would make sense. For better or worse, it’s still one of the standard-bearers in this segment.
In terms of the crossover’s design, it looks a hell of a lot like the Afeela 1, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if you were looking for an exciting design from SHM, this isn’t it. I’d also guess the Prototype 2026’s interior will also be largely similar to the 1’s, PlayStation integration and all, which you’re going to need to kill time while you charge.
Afeela
I’d be shocked if the crossover used different EV hardware than the Afeela 1, which is powered by a dual-motor setup that puts out 483 horsepower. That’s not too shabby. But what is too shabby is the sedan’s 91-kWh battery pack that has an EPA-estimated maximum range of 300 miles and can only DC fast-charge at 150 kW. Those numbers are very bleh, especially when you consider the Afeela 1 starts at almost $103,000, with a $90,000 entry model coming in 2027. I told you the PlayStation would come in handy. You’re going to be spending a lot of time at the charger.
At the very least, the production version of the Afeela Prototype 2026 will almost certainly have the comprehensive suite of sensors, cameras, radar and automated driving systems that the sedan has. Still, I’m not sure any of that will be enough to win over buyers who aren’t fans of its conservative-at-best looks and meh specs at sky-high prices.
