Sony Honda Mobility (SHM), a 50:50 joint venture between Honda Motor and Japanese consumer electronics manufacturer Sony Group, unveiled a new battery-powered SUV prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2026) in Las Vegas, USA.
SHM’s CEO, Yasuhide Mizuno, confirmed on the sidelines of the show that his company will use the new SUV prototype to develop a second production model, which it aims to launch in the US in early 2028.
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The prototype was displayed alongside the company’s first Afeela-branded model, the battery-powered Afeela 1 sedan, which is scheduled to go into production shortly at Honda’s electric vehicle manufacturing hub in the US state of Ohio.
Deliveries of the Afeela 1 are scheduled to begin in the coming months, starting in California, with prices ranging between US$ 90,000 and US$ 103,000. It features advanced driver-assist system (ADAS) and new interactive AI-based infotainment systems which the joint venture has been developing in collaboration with Microsoft.
SHM downplayed the impact of slowing battery electric vehicle (BEV) demand in the US, pointing out that it is focused offering vehicles in which users can enjoy spending time.
