Sony and Honda have abandoned the Afeela electric vehicle programme, killing plans for both the sedan and SUV variants that the Sony Honda Mobility joint venture had been developing.
The move comes shortly after Honda separately reversed course on expanding its EV lineup in the US market, suggesting the Afeela cancellation is part of a wider strategic retrenchment at Honda rather than a problem specific to the joint venture.
Sony Honda Mobility was established in 2022 as a fifty-fifty venture, with the Afeela brand positioned as a technology-forward offering that would draw on Sony's expertise in entertainment, sensors, and software. The first Afeela prototype was unveiled at CES in January 2023, and pre-orders had been opened for the US market.
The cancellation removes one of the more credible legacy-plus-tech EV partnerships from the competitive landscape, at a moment when softening demand and margin pressure have already prompted several automakers to scale back electrification timelines.
