After years of lagging behind on electrification, Mazda looks to finally be getting serious. A prototype of a new all-electric SUV has been spotted in California, near the manufacturer's research and development center in Irvine, confirming that its electric shift is accelerating.
Mazda looks to put false electric start behind it
Remember the Mazda MX-30? Maybe you do, maybe not. Designed on the CX-30 platform and limited to about 160 km of range, that first electric attempt by the Japanese automaker was withdrawn from the American market after only two years and a few hundred units sold.
This time, Mazda is preparing a 100-percent electric vehicle designed as such from the start. Earlier this year, the brand confirmed that its first dedicated EV would be assembled at the Hofu H2 plant in Japan.
A mid-size electric SUV inspired by the CX-90
According to Automotive News, a prototype was recently seen testing on California roads. It is said to be a mid-size electric crossover, similar in many ways to a CX-90, only slightly smaller.
Mazda hasn’t commented on the vehicles spotted in on-road testing, saying only that its American teams regularly test new technologies intended to “offer the best possible driving experience.” A patented say-nothing answer, to be sure.
Production of the future EV is expected to begin in 2027, followed by a commercial launch in 2028. This will be the first EV specifically designed for the American market.
Mazda finally aligns with global electrification strategies
Unlike the MX-30, this new SUV will be based on the Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture, a platform designed exclusively for electric vehicles.
Mazda, like other Japanese manufacturers, was late in adopting EVs. Its strategy relied mainly on plug-in hybrids — including the CX-90 and CX-70 — rather than pure electrics.
The company plans to electrify its entire lineup by the end of the decade as part of an investment of some $11 billion USD. Although Mazda initially aimed for 40 percent of global sales to be EVs by 2030, it now acknowledges that a 25-percent target is more realistic.
The 6e and EZ-60 are coming elsewhere, but the American EV will be 100-percent Mazda
Mazda will also launch the 6e and EZ-60 electric models in several global markets, including Europe. These vehicles are co-developed with Changan Automobile and are based on the Chinese EPA1 platform. But for its future products intended for North America, Mazda has created a new internal team called E-Mazda, responsible for developing EV architectures.