Surprise Surprise, Honda And Sony Has Abandoned The Afeela Project

Honda and Sony have officially given up production of their joint electric car brand Afeela.

Sony surprised everyone when it entered the automotive scene at CES 2020 with its electric sedan, followed by an SUV a year later. The tech giant teamed up with Honda in 2022 to form a joint venture company called Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) to bring these concepts to production; however, nothing has come of it since neither the sedan nor the SUV will ever go on sale.

Development of both vehicles was abruptly halted, although the decision is not entirely surprising. Earlier this month, Honda canceled two of its electric vehicles and a third model that was supposed to revive the RSX model. In a joint statement, Honda and Sony stated that the major changes in the electric car manufacturer’s strategy also affect the models of the Afeela brand intended for sale through the joint company.

“As a result of Honda’s re-evaluation of its car electrification strategy announced on March 12, 2026, and taking into account changes in the electric vehicle market, the basic assumptions of SHM’s business operations, such as the use of certain technologies and assets planned to be provided by Honda, have fundamentally changed, resulting in SHM’s announcement of the discontinuation of the development and launch of its first model, AFEELA1, as well as its second model,” the statement said.

That’s not all, because the parties intend to “analyze SHM’s business direction.” While that may paint a bleak picture of the joint venture’s fate, Sony and Honda aren’t parting ways. The companies intend to announce their “mid- and long-term positioning, as well as their contribution to the future of mobility, as soon as possible.”

SHM was supposed to start delivering the Afeela 1 model to customers at the end of this year. The price of the Signature version is set at $102,900, while the Origin version would cost $89,900 when it hits the market in 2027. However, the plans will obviously not come true.

Pre-production has already begun at Honda’s East Liberty, Ohio, auto plant, so canceling the car this late doesn’t bode well for the joint venture founded less than four years ago.

• Read More: Honda’s 0 Series Has Been Scrapped Due To Declining Demand For EVs