Sony and Honda’s EV Baby Faces Court Before Hitting the Road

The complaint, lodged with the Los Angeles County Superior Court, argues that direct sales amount to an attack on all 161 Honda and Acura dealers in California. Dealers claim they have spent decades building brand reputation and customer relationships, only to be sidelined by a new business model. They warn that buyers risk losing both transparent pricing and reliable after-sales service if middlemen are cut out of the equation.

Sony Honda Mobility has so far opened its first Afeela “demo studios,” which resemble sleek galleries rather than full-scale dealerships. Plans are also in motion for specialized logistics hubs designed to deliver vehicles directly to customers.

Prices for the Afeela are expected to range between $89,900 and $102,900, with sales projected to begin late this year. The legal battle, however, could throw that timeline into uncertainty.

This fight extends well beyond a single model. By pursuing a Tesla-style direct-to-consumer strategy, Sony and Honda are challenging the century-old dealership hierarchy and forcing the U.S. car market to confront an uncomfortable question: can the traditional “showroom–sticker price–haggling” formula survive in the electric age?