Mazda is a prestigious name in the automobile industry; however, it hasn’t had much success in the EV segment lately. It is mainly because of its delayed entry into the EV sector. So far, the company has one EV and one PHEV in its lineup.
This article will shed light on the history of Mazda electric cars, their lineup, and how it is faring against its competitors!
So, let’s start!
History of Mazda Electric Cars
Although the history of Mazda electric cars is fairly new, the actual history of Mazda dates back to the year 1920. Mazda was originally founded by Mr. Jujiro Matsuda as a manufacturer of corks. The company was called Toyo Kogyo Co. Ltd. back then. Mr. Jujiro Matsuda became the 2nd president of this company and shifted its focus towards automotive. It wasn’t until 1931 that Mazda entered the automotive industry and released its first-ever three-wheeler called Mazda-Go.
Many people believe that Mazda MX-30 is the first fully-electric car made by the company. However, that isn’t true. The first attempt to make an electric car was carried out by Mazda in 1994. The first electric car of Mazda was known as AZ-EV. The EV introduced at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1996 was developed on the Eunos Presso model. AZ-EV was powered with a set of lead-acid batteries, and it had an admirable driving range of up to 77 miles between charges.
In 1998, a proper attempt at mass-production of electric cars was made by Mazda. An EV model was developed after the third-generation Demio. More than 10,000 units of Demio EV were sold in Japan, but it was discontinued in 2002. It wasn’t until 2019 that the company made a comeback with its all-electric model MX-30. So, the history of Mazda electric cars is pretty rich. They were producing electric cars when most of the electric car companies today weren’t even born yet.
Mazda Vs. Other EV Companies
As far as the competition goes, Mazda doesn’t stand a chance against them. This is because of a long gap in the electric car history of Mazda. Had the company continued to produce electric cars back in the day, it would have been a leader in the EV industry today. In 2002, when Mazda was closing its EV operations, a new company Tesla was emerging in San Carlos, California. Due to persistence and continuous efforts, Tesla has become the EV industry leader.
However, Mazda wasn’t an EV company originally. So, a more fair comparison would be with the likes of Toyota, Suzuki, and Volkswagen. Volkswagen also missed the boat of electric vehicles and also made a very late entry into the EV segment. Please read our article on Volkswagen electric cars if you want to know more.
The same is the case with Toyota and Suzuki. Just like Mazda, both these companies are heavily invested in hybrid vehicles, but they aren’t anywhere in the EV game. Mazda has to play a lot of catch-up if it wants to be recognized as a reckoning force in the EV industry.
So far, Mazda has launched only one fully electric car and one plugin hybrid model. These cars are average at best. If Mazda wants to grow its share of electric vehicles, it must come up with innovative and cost-effective electric vehicles.
For now, let’s have a look at the current electric car and plugin hybrid model being produced by Mazda. Let’s start!
Mazda MX-30 Electric Crossover SUV
Mazda MX-30 is an entry-level electric vehicle offered at an extremely affordable price. It has a very dashing exterior and a fun driving experience. However, its short range and cramped rear seats are big reasons why it has garnered so many negative reviews. Let’s have a detailed look at the specifications of this Crossover SUV.
Pricing and Trims
Mazda MX-30 is offered in two different trim levels. The entry variant is called Base, whereas the upper trim has been given the name Premium. The price of the Base variant has been set at $35,485, whereas the pricing of Premium trims starts at $38,395. It is one of the cheapest electric cars available on the market. If you’re looking to buy affordable electric cars, please read our article on the cheapest electric cars.
Motor Power, Performance, and Top Speed
Both trims of the Mazda MX-30 are powered by the same 143-horsepower electric motor. The electric motor drives the front wheels only. MX-30 isn’t as fast as some of its competitors. The performance of electric motors is average at best. We would expect any EV to have swift acceleration, but MX-30 takes about 8.7 seconds to breach the 60-mph mark.
Range and MPGe
The driving range of the Mazda MX-30 is quite disappointing. But I guess we shouldn’t expect more from a $35k SUV. Mazda MX-30 can go up to 100 miles before it needs to be recharged. The MPGe ratings of the Mazda MX-30 aren’t great either. It gives an estimated MPGe of 98 in the city, 85 on the highway, and a combined MPGe of 92. It is much behind other similar EVs.
Battery Size and Charging Time
Mazda MX-30 is laced with a smaller battery pack of 30 kWh. The lithium-ion battery pack has an efficiency of 282 Wh/mile. Mazda MX-30 comes with DC fast charging capability. At a DC fast charger, it takes only 28 minutes to recharge the battery pack of MX-30. At a regular socket, it takes approximately 22 hours to recharge it.
Interior Design and Cargo Space
Mazda MX-30 has got a decent interior for an SUV. The main highlight of the interior is that it uses recyclable construction materials. MX-30 has a head-up display in addition to a pair of two 7-inch screens. As far as the cargo space goes, MX-30 doesn’t offer much. The cabin space on the front is good but rear passengers have to struggle with their head and leg room.
Mazda CX-90 PHEV
Mazda CX-90 has garnered positive reviews for its smooth drive and handling experience. It offers a decent MPGe and a long range. The purely electric range isn’t much, but we shouldn’t rely on that on a plugin hybrid electric vehicle. Being a 7-seater is a plus, but the third row of seating is highly impractical. What else CX-90 has to offer? Let’s find out!
Pricing and Trims
Mazda CX-90 is offered in a confusing array of trims. There are no less than 11 different variants of the Mazda CX-90. However, all these trims have been largely divided into two classes, S and non-S. The pricing of non-S trims starts from $40,970 and goes up to $58,325, whereas the pricing for S trims starts at $53,125 and goes up to $61,325.
Motor Power, Performance, and Top Speed
The powertrain response of the Mazda CX-90 is quite amazing, all thanks to the six-cylinder inline engine complemented by a 48V hybrid drive system that comes standard on almost all PHEVs. CX-90 is the first Mazda to get a 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six engine. In non-S trims, it produces 280 hp, whereas, in S trims, the total output goes up to 340 hp. This Mazda CX-90 can breach the 60 mph mark in 6.3 seconds, which isn’t that bad.
Range and MPGe
Non-PHEV models of Mazda CX-90 can give a mileage of 24 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway. We expect the PHEV models to surpass these figures. As far as the company claims go, Mazda CX-90 PHEV will give 53 MPGe in the city and 59 MPGe on the highway. This is a substantial improvement on the non-PHEV models. The purely electric driving range of the Mazda CX-90 PHEV is limited to 26 miles, and the total range is about 490 miles.
Battery Size and Charging Time
Mazda CX-90 PHEV comes with a smaller lithium-ion battery pack of 17.8 kWh. Even after being powered by a small battery pack, Mazda CX-90 offers DC fast charging capability. At a rapid DC charging station, it takes only about 30 minutes to recharge your battery from 0-80%. At a common 120V socket, the charging time of CX-90 goes up to approximately 11 hours. However, if you were to upgrade to a level-2 home charger, this time comes down to 2.5 hours.
Interior Design and Cargo Space
The interior of the Mazda CX-90 is something to love. Especially the use of premium materials in top-of-the-line variants truly makes it a luxury SUV. Mazda CX-90 can seat up to 8 passengers; however, if you were to utilize the second-row captain’s chair, the seating capacity drops to 7. Nonetheless, Mazda CX-90 has an upgraded interior that uses premium materials.
Final Word, A Review of Mazda Electric Cars
Mazda is an old player in the automobile industry. Despite trying its luck with EVs in the early 90s, Mazda appeared much later in the mainstream EV industry. So, now there is a lot of catch to play. Mazda’s EV is an average vehicle at best. It needs many improvements and upgrades.
We hope to see more Mazda electric cars in the near future. What are your thoughts on the matter? Let us know in the comments below!
