After years of dragging its feet, Mazda is finally planning to launch its first dedicated electric vehicle. The new EV was spotted testing in California as Mazda begins testing.
Wait, Mazda is actually launching a real EV in the US?
Remember the MX-30, Mazda’s first “EV” in the US? It was killed off after just two years on the market, with Mazda having sold only a few hundred units.
The MX-30 was essentially designed as a plug-in hybrid based on the same platform as the CX-30, offering up to just 100 miles of range.
Mazda is now looking to make up for lost time with its first dedicated EV. Earlier this year, the Japanese automaker announced plans to build its first dedicated electric vehicle at its Hofu H2 assembly plant in Japan.
According to Automotive News, a prototype of the new EV was recently spotted testing near Mazda’s R&D center in Irvine, California.
The midsize electric crossover appears to be a smaller version of the CX-90, Mazda’s largest SUV. When asked about its upcoming plans, Mazda declined to comment but said its US R&D teams regularly test new technologies to help it provide the best driving experience.
Mazda is expected to begin producing the new EV in 2027, with sales kicking off in 2028. The electric crossover SUV is the automaker’s first EV designed and developed for the US.
Unlike the MX-30, Mazda’s new model will be based on a dedicated EV platform, the Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture.
Mazda, like other Japanese automakers, has been among the biggest laggards in the shift to fully electric vehicles. Instead, it has focused on plug-in hybrids like the CX-90 and CX-70.
By the end of the decade, Mazda plans to “electrify” its entire lineup in some form as part of a nearly $11 billion investment. Although it previously said it expects EVs to account for 25% to 40% of global sales by then, Mazda recently said it will be closer to 25%.
Mazda is also launching the all-electric 6e sedan and EZ-60 SUV in various global markets, including Europe, which are co-developed with its Chinese partner, Changan Automobile. The electric sedan and SUV are based on Changan’s EPA1 platform.
The company’s CTO Ryuichi Umeshita told Autocar that although Mazda is still investing in hybrid and ICE powertrains, it’s committed to using dedicated EV architectures for next-gen vehicles.
“We’ve established our own electrification development team, which we call ‘E-Mazda’, and that team has been doing a great job,” he explained.
After driving a prototype, Umeshita said, “It has very good driving dynamics,” adding, “We’re confident that our EV products will be real Mazda products.”
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