Honda’s EV Pivot Just Wiped Out The Entire Sony Afeela Brand

The imagination of a Sony-branded electrical car has officially tally retired of road, ending a task that erstwhile promised to blend user tech with automotive engineering. Sony Honda Mobility has confirmed it is pulling the plug connected the improvement and motorboat of its full EV lineup, including the Afeela 1 sedan acceptable to get aboriginal this year, on with a follow-up SUV antecedently penciled successful for 2028.

The determination efficaciously collapses the associated task formed successful 2022, which aimed to harvester Sony’s bundle and amusement ecosystem with Honda’s manufacturing backbone. What erstwhile looked similar a credible effort to rethink the in-car acquisition has alternatively unraveled earlier a azygous accumulation exemplary reached customers.

More: EV Bets Already Cost Four Legacy Carmakers $70B, And The Tab Keeps Climbing

The project’s demise traces straight backmost to Honda’s sweeping strategy reset announced earlier this month. The automaker pulled the plug connected respective cardinal EV programs, including the Honda 0 Saloon, the 0 SUV, and the Acura RSX crossover, each of which had been planned for North America.

The Afeela 1 sedan (left) and a prototype of the mechanically-related SUV (right).

As Honda pivots distant from its erstwhile electrification targets to stem a projected 2.5 trillion yen ($15.7 billion) loss, it has withdrawn the method assets and dedicated platforms that Afeela was expected to use. Without the automaker’s hardware support, the associated task admitted it does not person a viable way guardant to bring the models to marketplace arsenic primitively planned.

More: Honda’s Prologue Might Soon Become An EV Epilogue

The quality comes soon aft Sony Honda Mobility of America announced the expansive opening of the Afeela Studio and Delivery Hub successful Torrance, California, connected March 16. Instead of taking transportation of the Afeela 1, those who placed reservations for the electrical sedan volition person afloat refunds.

Is It Game Over For Sony?

Afeela Prototype 2026

Sony’s propulsion into the automotive abstraction began with the Vision-S 01 and Vision-S 02 prototypes, unveiled astatine CES successful 2020 and 2022, with the volition of evolving into accumulation models. In 2022, Sony partnered with Honda to signifier the associated task that would bring that ambition person to reality.

The Afeela marque sanction was introduced astatine CES 2023 alongside an aboriginal prototype. By CES 2025, the accumulation mentation of the electrical sedan debuted arsenic the Afeela 1, with reservations opening via a refundable $200 deposit and a people terms of $89,900.

More: After Honda Kills Three EVs, Afeela Tries Something Shiny While It Still Can

The past section was written astatine CES 2026 with the unveiling of the Afeela Prototype 2026, which was intended to germinate into a accumulation SUV by 2028. In March 2026, the institution besides revealed 2 creation cars based connected the Afeela 1 successful collaboration with Matt Copson and Hajime Sorayama, though by past the task was already connected borrowed time.

In its announcement, the institution stated that Sony Honda Mobility volition proceed discussions with Sony and Honda regarding its aboriginal business plans. Whether it tin repurpose its exertion and resources, oregon whether this task volition basal arsenic a costly experiment, remains unclear.

Afeela 1