A new electric vehicle is accelerating through the development process as a groundbreaking partnership between Honda and Sony goes from strength to strength.

Sony Honda Mobility has commenced pre-production testing for its Afeela 1 electric vehicle at Honda's East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio, representing a crucial step towards the car's planned market launch.

The facility, which has manufactured vehicles for more than three decades, is now hosting comprehensive trials to verify the electric car's production readiness.

These tests encompass detailed assessments of component compatibility, assembly accuracy and paint finish quality, according to the company.

Deliveries of the Afeela 1 are expected to launch next year

The Ohio plant serves as the contract manufacturing location for the Afeela 1, with Honda providing its established production expertise, while Sony Honda Mobility implements additional quality measures specific to the new vehicle.

Shugo Yamaguchi, President and CEO of Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc, said: "Leveraging Honda's expertise as our contract manufacturing partner, combined with Sony Honda Mobility's additional quality standards and inspections based on our standards, we are committed to delivering Afeela 1's design with exceptional precision and refined quality."

While details of the Afeela 1 have not been confirmed, it is expected to have an impressive battery range of around 300 miles.

Price points for the electric vehicle have been revealed, with the Origin trim starting at $89,900 (£66,843), while the Signature will cost $102,900 (£76,500).

The Sony Honda Mobility Afeela 1 is expected to cost around £67,000

Deliveries are slated for mid-2026, with the Origin expected to be rolled out before the Signature.

The testing process employs specialised scanning devices to verify the suitability of individual components for the Afeela 1.

Manufacturing teams are achieving extraordinary precision by fine-tuning panel alignments to fractions of a millimetre, using purpose-built measuring instruments to examine the smallest spaces between parts.

The production site has developed bespoke assembly fixtures exclusively for the Afeela 1, enabling consistent accuracy throughout the manufacturing process.

Sony Honda Mobility said it would continue to provide updates about the development of the Afeela 1

This phase serves as an essential foundation for ensuring the vehicle meets the company's exacting standards when mass production begins.

The Afeela 1's distinctive appearance stems from its minimalist exterior design, featuring uninterrupted surfaces with few visible lines that demand flawless finish quality.

This sleek bodywork is engineered to function as a reflective surface, mirroring the vehicle's surroundings through a specialised polishing technique exclusive to the Afeela production process.

Chris Woodard, Plant Lead at the East Liberty facility, stated: "The quality standards set by Sony Honda Mobility are exceptionally high and challenging, but with over 35 years of automotive experience and craftsmanship, we're confident in our ability to meet them."

Sony Honda Mobility's Quality Gate is currently under construction

Beyond the manufacturing site's inspections, Sony Honda Mobility is constructing a dedicated Quality Gate facility to conduct proprietary assessments before vehicles reach customers.

This additional checkpoint will examine characteristics specific to the Afeela 1 after the cars complete Honda's standard quality procedures.

"After receiving vehicles that have cleared our contract manufacturing partner Honda's rigorous inspection process, we will perform additional inspections based on our own standards, focusing on Afeela's unique characteristics," explained Susan Dulik, Product Quality Manager at Sony Honda Mobility of America Inc.

Full-scale manufacturing is scheduled to commence in 2026, with findings from the current trials informing ongoing improvements to production processes.