Sony Honda Mobility announced on September 27, 2024 that it will adopt Tesla’s charging standard “NACS” for its new EV “AFEELA” scheduled for release in 2025. This will make AFEELA the first non-Tesla vehicle in Japan to be able to use Tesla’s latest ultra-fast charging facilities, “V3” and “V4 Superchargers.”
Tesla’s Benefits of Adopting the North American Charging Standard “NACS”
shm-afeela_Tesla
- Improved charging convenience: Tesla’s Superchargers boast the world’s largest charging network and account for 90% of the rapid chargers in Japan. This allows AFEELA users to enjoy long-distance driving with peace of mind.
- Contributing to the promotion of EV adoption: Tesla hopes to accelerate the adoption of EVs by making its charging standards open. Sony Honda Mobility also supports this initiative and will contribute to the further adoption of EVs through AFEELA.
About the new “AFEELA”
SHM announced a new brand, “AFEELA,” which represents the “FEEL” that is at the heart of the mobility experience as envisioned by SHM. The company unveiled a prototype that expresses SHM’s vision of creating a new relationship between people and mobility. Development will proceed based on the prototype.
Release date of the new “AFEELA”
- North America: Pre-orders to begin in the first half of 2025, launch later that year
- Japan: Launching in late 2026
Sony Honda Mobility will continue to utilize cutting-edge technology to provide mobility experiences that appeal to people’s senses.
About the exterior of the new “AFEELA” prototype model
The prototype features thick pillars and traditional side mirrors, with styling changes continuing further down the line. A new rear bumper, revised trunk and updated taillights have also been spotted. As well as the styling tweaks, the car’s dimensions have also grown, now measuring 4,915mm in length, 1,900mm in width, 1,460mm in height and 3,000mm in wheelbase.
| Specifications | Old AFEELA prototype |
New AFEELA prototype |
|---|---|---|
| full length | 4,895mm | 4,915mm |
| Width | 1,900mm | 1,900mm |
| Height | 1,460mm | 1,460mm |
| Wheelbase | 3,000mm | 3,000mm |
| Passenger capacity | 5 people | 5 people |
New “AFEELA” updated prototype model interior
There are a few updates, including a revised center console that appears to have dual wireless smartphone chargers, a slightly improved steering wheel, a new rearview mirror, and what appears to be a monitoring system.
New “AFEELA” equipped with Microsoft Azure OpenAI
They announced several other developments, including a “conversational personal agent” that will use Microsoft Azure OpenAI . While the two companies didn’t say much about it, they are aiming for ” an advanced voice-enabled system that will enable seamless communication through natural language and conversation-like interactions .”
Safety features of the new “AFEELA”
Providing a comfortable travel space on top of safe and secure technology. Aiming to equip the car with Level 3 autonomous driving function under specific conditions, the company is also working on developing Level 2+ driving assistance function under a wider range of driving conditions such as urban areas. The hardware has a computing performance of up to 800 TOPS and uses the Qualcomm Snapdragon Digital Chassis SoC. The prototype is equipped with a total of 45 cameras and sensors inside and outside the car. The in-cabin camera and ToF sensor inside the car monitor the driver’s driving situation and driving conditions, contributing to preventing unexpected traffic accidents.
Afila News Release
https://www.shm-afeela.com/ja/news/2024-09-27
AFEELA