The EVs Sony and Honda were working on together won't see the light of day, as the collaboration comes to a close.
Electric Cars
Sony has officially announced that development of its planned Afeela electric cars won’t continue.
The Afeela 1 EV, and a planned second Afeela model, being developed in conjunction with Honda, have met the same end as Honda’s own future electric vehicles, which were confirmed as cancelled programs earlier this month.
The joint-venture partnership, known as Sony Honda Mobility (SHM), announced that Honda’s cancelled 0 Series EVs took the Afeela program down with it.
In a written statement, the company said: “As a result of Honda’s reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy announced on March 12, 2026, SHM will not be able to utilize certain technologies and assets that were originally planned to be provided by Honda at the time of SHM’s initial business planning.”
“SHM has determined that it does not have a viable path forward to bring the models to market as originally planned.”
Honda’s earlier cancellation of the 0 Series line-up was attributed to declining electric-vehicle demand in markets such as the US and Asia, as well as the ultra-competitive positioning of Chinese EVs.
In a statement issued by Honda at the time, the brand said, “In such a difficult competitive environment, Honda was unable to deliver products that offer value for money better than that of newer EV manufacturers, resulting in a decline in competitiveness.”
SHM last showed the Afeela 1 sedan in January 2025, in near-production form, as part of the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.
Deliveries were slated to begin in the USA from mid-2026, with right-hand drive production for Japan to follow in late 2026.
Afeela’s launch program would have seen deliveries begin in California first, before a wider roll-out across the US.
The launch version was to be called the Afeela 1 Signature, with a 360kW dual-motor drivetrain and rated for 483km of driving range. Premium pricing would have seen the electric sedan start from $US102,900 ($AU148,220).
Afeela has committed to returning all reservation deposits received in California.
Despite the cancellation of the current Afeela 1 and subsequent planned second electric model, SHM has said it will continue discussions with Sony and Honda regarding future business plans, but has revealed no further details on what those plans might involve.
Electric Cars Guide
Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
