Fast Facts
- Sony Honda Mobility has discontinued the Afeela EV project, indicating likely shutdown or scaling back of its plans.
- Honda is facing significant financial losses in 2023, including a $15.7 billion write-off, due to challenges in the EV market and other setbacks.
- Sony’s Afeela, announced six years ago, has struggled to keep pace with industry advances, facing criticism over its design, price, and relevance.
- The company’s focus on a sedan model amid a market shifting towards SUVs and the lack of mention of Afeela 2 suggest diminished enthusiasm for their EV efforts.
Sony Honda Mobility has announced it will stop working on its electric vehicle (EV) project. The company said it will “discontinue the development and launch” of the Afeela 1 and 2. This means the cars will not go to market anytime soon. Instead, the company plans to review its business goals and share future plans soon. However, many see this as a sign the project is essentially over or heavily scaled back.
2026 has been a tough year for Honda. The company reported a loss of up to $15.7 billion and faced challenges from changes in U.S. EV policies, rising tariffs, and fewer federal incentives. Additionally, Honda’s effort in Formula 1 with Aston Martin has not met expectations. These setbacks have affected Honda’s confidence in its EV plans.
Sony’s adventure into car making began six years ago with the Vision-S concept. It later became the Afeela. Although the concept looked promising on display, it failed to keep pace with the rapid development in the auto industry. Critics noted that Afeela 1 looked dated and lacked the emotional appeal needed to attract buyers. It was also more expensive than similar models.
Furthermore, Afeela 1 is a sedan. Today, many consumers prefer SUVs that are higher and more versatile. The second model, Afeela 2, was reportedly an afterthought, with little mention in Sony’s recent statement. This hints that the company may have lost interest in the project altogether.
Despite this setback, the shift to smart cities and urban innovation continues to grow. Smart city initiatives aim to make urban living safer, cleaner, and more efficient. Electric vehicles are just one part of this future—reducing pollution and easing traffic congestion. Although Afeela’s journey has ended, tech giants and automakers still see electric cars as key to smarter, more connected cities. Their focus now turns to new ideas and partnerships that hope to transform urban life for the better.
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