Sony Honda Mobility has officially scrapped its much-anticipated Afeela electric vehicles, ending the PlayStation-integrated car experiment before it ever hit the streets. The joint venture between Sony and Honda announced it’s discontinuing both the Afeela 1 sedan and the planned SUV, citing Honda’s major EV business overhaul in the U.S. Early adopters who reserved the car will receive full refunds.
The Afeela 1 was designed as a tech-loaded EV tailored for gamers and entertainment lovers. It promised in-car PlayStation gaming, multiple screens, Zoom calls, a voice assistant, and generative AI features. Sony Honda Mobility even hinted at Level 4 autonomous driving-imagine hands-free cruising on city streets and highways. The car made waves at CES 2026, with a pre-production model and concept SUV drawing significant attention. Some outlets hailed it as one of the year’s top automotive tech reveals. California was slated to receive the first deliveries by the end of 2024, with preorders already underway.
Now, both the Afeela 1 and its SUV counterpart are canceled. The official explanation: Honda’s reassessment of its automobile electrification strategy. Earlier this month, Honda announced a $15.7 billion writedown, restructuring its U.S. EV operations and axing other models like the Honda 0 series and Acura RDX. The company acknowledged it can’t provide certain technologies and assets critical to the Afeela project. In a statement, the joint venture said: SHM has determined that it does not have a viable path forward to bring the Models to market as originally planned.
For gamers, this means the dream of a PlayStation-powered car is dead. No more imagining playing Gran Turismo on the dashboard while your car drives itself. For reservation holders, the silver lining is full refunds. The cancellation also highlights the volatility of the U.S. EV market. With the federal $7,500 EV tax credit slashed and Chinese automakers flooding the market with cheaper options, even industry giants like Honda are stepping back.
Honda’s late and heavy investment in EVs left it trailing competitors like BYD and Tesla. The company’s first annual loss in nearly 70 years as a public company is a harsh wake-up call. Meanwhile, rising gas prices and global conflicts have increased some American buyers’ interest in EVs, but not enough to save ambitious projects like Afeela.
The bottom line
- The PlayStation car is officially dead-no in-car gaming dreams coming true.
- Honda’s EV struggles mean more canceled models and a major business reset.
- Refunds are on the way for anyone who reserved an Afeela.
Why this matters beyond one cancelled model
The reported cancellation is notable because Afeela was positioned as a flagship example of software-led vehicles blending entertainment and mobility. A PlayStation-linked in-car experience was supposed to differentiate the project in an increasingly crowded EV market. Pulling back suggests that even heavily branded partnerships are struggling when margins tighten and EV demand forecasts become less predictable.
For the broader tech-and-auto space, this is another reminder that connected-car ambitions still need a durable business case, not just strong branding. Consumers may like the concept, but production scale, battery economics, and long-term platform support are what ultimately determine survival.