Sony at CES 2023: From PlayStation VR2 to Afeela EV

Sony debuted its new EV prototype, called Afeela, at the ongoing annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. As early as 2026, the EV will be for sale. The renowned Japanese electronics company also said that the much-awaited PlayStation VR 2 headset will go on sale on February 22.

Sony’s new ‘Afeela’ electric vehicle

A Sony electric car known as the "Afeela" is perhaps the most significant announcement made at CES this year. Utilizing Qualcomm technology, the automobile, which was developed with Honda as part of a Sony Mobility subsidiary, will make its debut in 2026. According to Sony, preorders for the automobile will open in the first half of 2025, and North American deliveries will begin in early 2026.

During a keynote event at CES, Sony Honda Mobility CEO Yasuhide Mizuno stated, "Afeela represents our concept of an interactive relationship where people feel the sensation of interactive mobility and where mobility can detect and understand people and society by utilizing sensing and AI technologies."

Sony, which is famous for products like the Walkman, PlayStation, and Trinitron TVs, has been working on an electric car for a while. In 2020, Sony unveiled an early version of the Vision-S 01 prototype at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), and a year later, the Vision-S 02. Honda and Sony, in particular, are placing large bets on the future of electric vehicles in North America.

Sony now leads Apple, which had been rumored to be working on an electric car, with its announcement of Afeela. However, designing and manufacturing an electric vehicle is very expensive. Sony's electric car's future is uncertain, particularly in light of the fierce competition in the EV market right now.

Additionally, Dyson, a British company best known for its hand dryers and vacuum cleaners, had been developing a line of electric vehicles but decided to stop because of the high cost.

PlayStation VR 2

Sony's PlayStation VR 2 headset will be available on February 22 and requires a PlayStation 5 to operate. Sony's PSVR 2, which retails for $550, is a high-end virtual reality system with more features than Meta's Quest 2, which sells for $400. For the PSVR's launch, Sony has promised at least 30 games, including Gran Turismo 7 and a spinoff of its popular action-adventure robot-animal-hunting series Horizon.

The virtual reality market is Sony's second attempt. In 2016, Sony released the initial PSVR for the PlayStation 4, which cost $400. Sony wants to be seen as a major player in virtual reality, which is currently exploding. Sony is hoping that the new PlayStation VR 2 will be a hit because brands like PlayStation are ingrained in popular culture.