The two Japanese giants will enter the EV industry with separate EVs from Honda and Afeela (Honda+Sony).
Honda and Sony will utilize the same platform to keep the costs of their EVs low. Note that we will get two different sets of electric cars – one set from Honda under its 0 Series and the other from Afeela (a joint venture between Honda Motor and Sony). The first EVs from these auto companies are set to arrive in 2026 in North America.
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Honda & Sony To Share Platform For Low-Cost EVs
As per a report by Asia Nikkei, the shared platform will enable lower costs and shorter development times. This is of critical importance, especially after the recent onslaught by Chinese carmakers with their affordable EVs. Remember platform accounts for approximately 10% of the total cost of an electric car. Hence, by sharing the platform, the two companies will be able to save a lot of costs in the coming years with multiple products.
This report even claims that the estimated cost of developing a platform is around $621 million (100 billion yen). With such astronomical sums of money, the long-term profits can go much higher if the costs are shared. I must also mention that Honda has plans to launch a $40,000 EV. This platform will spawn affordable EVs for Honda, as well as high-end luxury EVs for Afeela. That is the biggest advantage of these shared EV platforms.
However, the major distinction will be on the inside. On one hand, the Honda 0 Series EVs will have a comparatively ‘regular’ cabin with all the latest bells and whistles. On the other hand, the Afeela EVs will set themselves apart with a much superior and tech-savvy in-car experience. This is where the expertise of Sony will come in handy. In fact, the users will even be able to carry a remote play system which can connect the car to their PlayStation at home. We saw a glimpse of that at the CES Event in Las Vegas, U.S. in January earlier this year.
The Afeela Prototype will come with a 91 kWh Lithium-ion battery which will power 2 electric motors. The total power output stands at a healthy 360 kW (490 PS). To juice up the battery, you could use either an 11 kW AC charger or a 150 kW DC fast charger. The EV is 4,915 mm in length, 1,900 mm in width, 1,460 mm in height and has a wheelbase of 3,000 mm.
| Specs | Afeela Prototpye |
| Battery | 91 kWh |
| Drivetrain | Dual-Motor AWD |
| Power | 360 kW (490 PS) |
| Charging | 11 kW AC and 150 kW DC |
| Length | 4,915 mm (193.5 in.) |
| Width | 1,900 mm (74.8 in.) |
| Height | 1,460 mm (57.5 in.) |
| Wheelbase | 3,000 mm (118.1 in.) |
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Learn Electric Cars Says
We are in the age of collaboration and joint ventures. With innumerable new car companies coming up and legacy carmakers trying to pivot their business operations to accommodate electric cars, everyone needs some help. Moreover, EVs need extensive electronic components. Therefore, car marques need to rely on some other tech companies to build a car.
Since EVs need bespoke architectures, it can only happen with astronomical investments. With EVs still not the absolute exclusive solution to achieve sustainable clean mobility, it makes sense to split the development costs. We have seen many carmakers following this strategy. Let us keep our eyes out for the first EVs from these two car companies going forward.