Sony Honda Mobility Cancels Afeela EV Lineup

Sony and Honda, through their joint venture Sony Honda Mobility, announced on Thursday the discontinuation of development and launch for their Afeela electric vehicle lineup, including the flagship Afeela 1 sedan and a planned SUV model. The decision, which halts production originally slated to begin late next year at Honda's facility in East Liberty, Ohio, comes amid a broader reassessment of the companies' electrification efforts in a shifting global EV market.

The joint venture, established in 2022 to merge Sony's consumer electronics expertise with Honda's automotive manufacturing capabilities, had positioned Afeela as a premium, entertainment-focused EV brand. The Afeela 1 sedan, priced starting at $89,900 for the base Origin trim and $102,900 for the Signature edition, featured advanced in-car technologies such as PlayStation Remote Play for gaming, dashboard themes inspired by Sony franchises like Astro Bot and God of War, an AI assistant, and videoconferencing capabilities. It also included a suite of 40 sensors for eventual hands-off driving, a roughly 300-mile range, and compatibility with the Tesla-style NACS charging port. Reservations had opened in early 2025 with...