Another Honda-adjacent EV bites the dust. After its recent decision to halt development of three new electric models, including the Acura RSX, the automaker today announced that it will cancel the Afeela 1 and future vehicles sourced from its partnership with Sony.
Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) set up shop in 2022, promising to deliver futuristic electric vehicles that combine Honda’s automotive expertise with Sony’s advanced tech. The pair debuted a few prototypes and was expected to deliver the first production models soon, but Honda’s decision to pare back its electrification efforts stalled the partnership.
In its announcement, the company said, “As a result of Honda’s reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy announced on March 12, 2026, SHM will 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.”
Honda has said that the move away from EVs doesn’t necessarily mean significant job cuts are on the way, noting that its Ohio production facility is flexible enough to handle a range of vehicle types. But it’s hard to imagine this latest announcement wouldn’t lead to some layoffs.
That said, it’s always possible that Sony takes what it learned from Honda to work with another automaker. It’s also possible that Honda changes its mind again, leading to a revival of the development efforts. However, the current political and economic climate isn’t particularly friendly to big swings on cutting-edge electric vehicles, at least for the North American market. SHM said it would continue discussions with Sony and Honda regarding the future, but it could be a while before we hear more, if at all.
Sony Honda Mobility will issue full refunds of the reservation fees paid by early adopters, most of whom were prospective buyers in California. The refund process will probably be smoother and more responsive than that of other failed efforts (looking at you, Canoo), but it’s still a bummer for hopeful buyers.
