Trending Now - Sony and Honda Abandon Afeela Electric Vehicle Initiative
WHO:
Honda and Sony announced the cancellation of the Afeela 1 and Afeela SUV electric vehicles.
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe stated, "The volume initially will probably be less than we had envisioned earlier," regarding the company's American EV prospects.
Sony and Honda, through their joint venture Sony Honda Mobility (SHM)
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe
WHAT:
The Afeela 1 was initially priced at $90,000, and the Afeela SUV was also planned but is now discontinued.
Honda stated it would take a writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen ($15.8 billion) on its EV investments, marking the company's first annual loss in over 70 years as a public entity.
The joint venture stated it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The Afeela 1 was initially revealed as the Sony Vision-S at CES in January 2020, and the Afeela 1 was marketed as a tech-heavy EV with a maximum charge input of 150 kilowatts.
The Afeela 1 was expected to have a maximum range of about 300 miles and was initially priced at $100,000.
The Afeela SUV was planned to potentially go on sale as early as 2028.
Honda and Sony announced the cancellation of the Afeela 1 and Afeela SUV electric vehicles due to Honda's reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy.
The Afeela 1 was initially priced at $102,900 for the launch trim, with a more affordable $89,900 Origin model scheduled for a 2027 debut, but these plans will not materialize.
The joint venture stated that it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The Afeela 1 was referred to as the "PlayStation Car" and was intended to be a blend of personal mobility and digital media.
The Afeela 1 was initially priced at $100,000, with a maximum range of about 300 miles.
Honda's decision to cancel the Afeela models was influenced by its cancellation of the Acura RSX, Honda 0 Series SUV, and Honda 0 Series Saloon.
The Afeela 1 was in pre-production at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio before its cancellation.
The joint venture stated it would refund customers who deposited $200 to reserve a future Afeela.
The Afeela 1 was initially revealed as the Sony Vision-S at CES in January 2020.
The Afeela 1 was marketed as a tech-heavy EV with a maximum charge input of 150 kilowatts.
The Afeela 1 was designed to include a suite of 40 sensors, including 18 cameras, a lidar, nine radars, and 12 ultrasonic sensors.
The Afeela SUV was planned to potentially go on sale as early as 2028.
The Afeela 1 was initially priced at $102,900 for the launch trim, with a more affordable $89,900 Origin model scheduled for a 2027 debut.
Honda announced it would take a writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen ($15.8 billion) on its EV investments, marking the company's first annual loss in over 70 years as a public entity.
The joint statement from Sony Honda Mobility indicated that the decision to discontinue the Afeela models was due to Honda's reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy and changes in the EV market.
Sony and Honda have discontinued the development of the Afeela 1 sedan and Afeela SUV electric vehicles.
The Afeela 1 was initially priced at $100,000 and was expected to have a maximum range of about 300 miles.
Honda announced it would take a writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen ($15.7 billion) on its EV investments.
SHM stated it would refund customers who deposited $200 to reserve a future Afeela.
WHERE:
The Afeela 1 was in pre-production at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio.
WHEN:
Honda announced its reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy on March 12, 2026.
The Afeela 1 was first revealed at CES in January 2020.
Honda announced its reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy on March 12, 2026.
SHM was supposed to kick off customer deliveries of the Afeela 1 in late 2026.
WHY:
The decision to discontinue the Afeela models was influenced by Honda's cancellation of its own lineup of all-new EVs, including the Acura RSX, Honda 0 Series SUV, and Honda 0 Series Saloon.
The joint statement from Sony Honda Mobility indicated that the decision to discontinue the Afeela models was due to altered assumptions regarding technology and assets originally planned for the Afeela models.
The joint venture cited a lack of a “viable path forward” due to altered assumptions regarding technology and assets originally planned for the Afeela models.
The decision to discontinue the Afeela models was influenced by Honda's cancellation of its own lineup of all-new EVs, including the Acura RSX, Honda 0 Series SUV, and Honda 0 Series Saloon.
The joint statement from Sony Honda Mobility indicated that the decision was due to altered assumptions regarding technology and assets originally planned for the Afeela models.
The decision to discontinue the Afeela models was due to Honda's reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy and changes in the EV market, which included a lack of a “viable path forward.”
The decision to discontinue the Afeela models was influenced by Honda's cancellation of its own lineup of all-new EVs, including the Acura RSX, Honda 0 Series SUV, and Honda 0 Series Saloon.
The joint venture cited a lack of a “viable path forward” due to altered assumptions regarding technology and assets originally planned for the Afeela models.
The decision to discontinue the Afeela models was influenced by Honda's reassessment of its EV strategy and the changing dynamics of the EV market.
The joint venture cited a lack of a “viable path forward” due to altered assumptions regarding technology and assets originally planned for the Afeela models.
HOW:
The joint venture stated that it would 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.
The joint venture stated it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The joint venture stated that it would 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.
The joint venture stated it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The joint venture stated that it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The joint venture stated it would review SHM’s business direction and announce its future plans “at the earliest possible opportunity.”
The joint venture was established in September 2022 to develop and sell mobility products by combining the technologies and expertise of Sony and Honda.
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 21:07 UTC)
Honda and Sony have announced the cancellation of their Afeela 1 and Afeela SUV electric vehicles, a decision that comes as Honda prepares to take a writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen, or about $15.8 billion, on its EV investments, marking its first annual loss in over 70 years. The cancellation follows Honda's earlier decision to scrap its own lineup of new electric vehicles, including the Acura RSX and Honda 0 Series models, and the joint venture indicated it would review its business direction and share future plans soon. Honda also noted that it would not be able to utilize certain technologies and assets initially intended for the Afeela project, which contributed to the decision to discontinue these models.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 17:21 UTC)
Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe announced that the company's American electric vehicle prospects will likely produce a volume lower than previously expected. Meanwhile, the Afeela 1, which was initially revealed as the Sony Vision-S at CES in January 2020 and marketed as a tech-heavy EV, will not move forward due to a lack of a viable path forward stemming from altered assumptions about technology and assets. The joint venture, Sony Honda Mobility, plans to review its business direction and will share its future plans as soon as possible.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 13:21 UTC)
Honda and Sony have announced the cancellation of the Afeela 1 and Afeela SUV electric vehicles, following Honda's reassessment of its electrification strategy. The Afeela 1 was set to launch at a price of $102,900, with a more affordable model planned for 2027, but those plans will no longer move forward. The joint venture stated that it will review its business direction and share future plans as soon as possible, citing changes in technology and asset availability as key factors in their decision.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 09:17 UTC)
Honda has officially canceled the Afeela models, including the Afeela 1, which was designed as a high-tech vehicle blending personal mobility with digital media and initially priced at $100,000. This decision comes as Honda reassesses its electrification strategy amidst changes in the electric vehicle market, citing a lack of a viable path forward. The joint venture has announced plans to refund customers who placed a $200 deposit to reserve the Afeela and will review its business direction before sharing future plans.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 03:51 UTC)
Afeela has announced the discontinuation of its electric vehicle models, which were initially revealed as the Sony Vision-S at CES in January 2020 and designed with a tech-heavy focus, featuring 40 sensors including 18 cameras and a lidar. This decision comes in the wake of Honda's cancellation of its own lineup of all-new EVs, prompting Afeela to reassess its business direction. The joint venture has stated it will review its plans and share updates at the earliest possible opportunity.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 00:28 UTC)
Honda has announced a significant writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen, or about $15.8 billion, on its electric vehicle investments, marking the company's first annual loss in over 70 years. This decision comes as the joint venture with Sony Honda Mobility has decided to discontinue the Afeela models, citing a lack of a viable path forward due to changing assumptions about technology and assets in the EV market. The joint venture plans to review its business direction and will share future plans at the earliest possible opportunity.
--
(UPDATED March 26, 2026 00:16 UTC)
Sony and Honda have announced the discontinuation of their Afeela 1 sedan and Afeela SUV electric vehicles, a decision influenced by Honda's recent reassessment of its EV strategy and the evolving market dynamics. Honda CEO Toshihiro Mibe stated that the company will take a writedown of up to 2.5 trillion yen, or about $15.7 billion, on its electric vehicle investments, and customers who reserved the Afeela with a $200 deposit will be refunded. The Afeela 1, which was in pre-production at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio and was initially revealed at CES in January 2020, was expected to begin customer deliveries in late 2026.