Mazda is planning an expansion of its EV lineup — but will not be throwing all of its weight behind the technology yet. A Mazda EV makes plenty of sense, and it is time for this astute Japanese carmaker to bring one into the fold. It might be surprising, then, to learn that Mazda is not so keen on channeling its innovations into the all-electric future. Its relationship with Toyota means that producing all-electric cars is not going to be the reality that it is been projected to be by a lot of European manufacturers.
Mazdas just launched its first Mazda Electric last year, and that was just for the European market, where regulations are forcing carmakers to produce more electric cars. Mazdas first fully electric car was the MX-30 SUV, which had a sleek look and streamlined cabin, but failed to provide enough range. The Mazda SUV with an EV has a 30,.0-kWh battery pack, which is good for up to 100 miles of range; a 143-hp electric motor drives the front wheels, and acceleration is nowhere near as snappy as in competing EVs like the Chevy Bolt, the Ford Mustang Mach-E, or Teslas Model 3, which offer over double the driving range of the Mazda. The EPA estimates the first Mazda EVs driving range to only be about 100 miles per charge, which is less than half of that of the Bolt and MX-5 Miata.
The vehicles estimated 100-mile range per full charge puts severe limits on the utility of the MX-30. That means that it is particularly disappointing that The electric MX-30s EPA-estimated range of 100 miles was accurate in my tests of it around New York and Long Island. Hey, the EPA says that the Mazda MX-30 will go 100 miles, and I will put it through its paces trying to hit, er, 83% of that range on a single charge in the real world. Look, anybody with even casual knowledge of electric cars knows 100 miles of driving range would be the mid-point of a reasonably priced electric car from ten years ago; between todays options and their 200-mile-plus numbers, the Mazda MX-30 is severely under-powered.
Because of its limitations, along with MX-30s poor acceleration, MX-30 is a disappointing EV debut from Mazda. The EV Mazda is a fascinating proposition, being the first Mazda electric car, and indeed, promises to be quite a nice one. After learning about the 2023 Mazda MX-30s EV options, customers were intrigued by the potential that the car might hold for owners. This model introduced new features for the car, such as the plug-in hybrid option, which allows customers to drive an electric car.
The Mazda MX-30 for 2023 also has a Lithium-Ion 35.5-kWh battery pack connected to a front-axle-mounted electric motor. While sporting a different exterior from the 2022 Mazda MX-30, the 2023 Mazda MX-30 has multiple powertrain efficiency solutions that will help it be a viable option for not just current customers, but also electric solutions for prospective buyers worldwide. The 2022 Mazda MX-30 is an interesting early effort at electric cars, but the Japanese automaker will hopefully learn from what did not work in the MX-30 and apply that to future – and more mainstream – electric cars. Given its limited availability, the 2022 Mazda MX-30 feels a lot like a compliance vehicle, designed to satisfy Californias stringent requirements that carmakers sell zero-emission vehicles.
If not for the range deficiency and charging rate deficiency (you know, little things), I think this could be one of the most attractive available electric vehicle options, due to the way it drives, and the way that its interior styling, materials, and textures are interesting. If the Japanese carmaker had made the 2022 Mazda MX-30 slightly larger, and given it actual rear doors rather than the back-hinged ones that it has, it could be the electric-only alternative to the carmakers subcompact CX-30 SUV. The 2022 Mazda MX-30 is The Japanese automakers first EV, and this little SUV is definitely…quirky.
It is worth noting that Mazda plans to exclusively sell the 2022 Mazda MX-30 in California, with a reported sales volume of just 560 units expected in 2022. Mazdas plans are only 560 units to be sold for calendar 2022, exclusively in California. Mazdas better bet is to introduce the MX-30 – a stylish, idiosyncratic little car – alongside a plug-in hybrid, which Mazdas says it will offer in calendar 2022.
Mazdas new electric vehicle, the MX-30, for 2022 is surprisingly noncompetitive, but rest assured: You are not likely to see it anyway. Mazdas next major product launch in the EU is a 2.5-liter CX-60 PHEV at the beginning of March, and it may have some relevance with another Toyota partner, Suzuki, whose cross-country PHEV has an e-only range that leads the class by nearly 50 miles. With a plug-in version on the way, it is almost as though Mazda is rolling out the first electric Mazda, setting Mazdas own version of PHEV with the range-extended pack. Mazda says that by 2025, it plans to introduce three new EVs, all built around the companys existing EV tech.