Sony Honda Mobility, the automotive joint venture founded in 2022 by Sony and Honda, has axed its Afeela-branded EVs. This decision was made in the wake of Honda’s recent global strategy shift on electric cars, which saw the Japanese carmaker scrap its 0 Series SUV and sedan mere months before they were intended to enter production in the US.
- Afeela 1 sedan was set to launch this year; bookings open since Jan 2025
- SHM will fully refund all bookings for the Afeela 1
- Second Afeela model was revealed in Jan 2026 with 2028 launch window
Sony Honda Mobility Afeela EVs shelved: All you need to know
Per the official statement, “Honda’s reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy” has rendered Sony Honda Mobility unable to “utilise certain technologies and assets that were originally planned to be provided by Honda at the time of SHM’s initial business planning.”
“In light of this change, SHM has determined that it does not have a viable path forward to bring the Afeela models to market as originally planned.”
Afeela 1 was slated to enter production and launch in 2026
SHM’s debut EV, the Afeela 1 sedan, was first revealed in January 2024 at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas. Bookings for the Afeela 1 commenced in January 2025 in California, with prices starting just shy of USD 90,000 (Rs 84.71 lakh).
Multiple SHM showrooms were opened in the US, and a production line for the Afeela 1 was even set up at Honda’s East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio ahead of the EV’s initially planned 2026 launch. Under the skin, the Afeela 1 came equipped with a 91kWh battery, dual-motor powertrain delivering 475hp and a claimed range of up to 482km.
The Afeela 1 also placed a major emphasis on tech, with features like an end-to-end screen setup on the dashboard, cameras instead of ORVMs, autonomous driving capabilities, an in-built conversational AI assistant, PlayStation Remote Play integration to let you play PS4 and PS5 games in the car, and more.
SHM will expectedly issue full refunds to those who booked an Afeela 1.
Second Afeela model was a 2028-bound coupe-SUV
A prototype of the second Afeela model, a coupe-SUV, was unveiled just a couple of months ago at CES 2026. The Afeela SUV was pegged for a 2028 launch in the US, but SHM will no longer go ahead with those plans.
SHM joint venture is under review
The future of the SHM joint venture itself is uncertain. An official statement from Sony reads: “Sony, Honda and SHM have determined to review SHM's business direction.” The three entities will “continue to discuss and evaluate the future” of the joint venture in light of its initial purpose of establishment and the “latest EV market environment,” and will “jointly announce SHM's future direction, mid- to long-term positioning, as well as contributions to the future of mobility at the earliest possible opportunity.”