Mazda’s first-ever all-electric vehicle, the MX-30, was a huge flop in the US. It’s not exactly a surprise as to why. It only offered 100 miles of range, and it cost more or as much as competitors such as the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Bolt that both offered far more range. So after just a couple of years, Mazda ended sales of the MX-30 EV in the US as of 2023. Mazda continued to offer the MX-30 EV in Europe and Japan, though, as well as other powertrain variants such as one with a rotary range-extender, and, in Japan, a mild-hybrid version with a four-cylinder engine. Apparently this year is the end for the electric MX-30 in Europe, too, with the company confirming the discontinuation.
Mazda
- Founded
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January 30, 1920 (as Toyo Cork Kogyo Co)
- Founder
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Jujiro Matsuda
- Headquarters
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Hiroshima, Japan
- Owned By
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Publicly Traded
- Current CEO
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Masahiro Moro
Moving On To Different EVs
Motor1 caught on to the fate of the MX-30 EV when it noticed that the car had vanished from the consumer-facing websites in Mazda of Europe. We reached out to Mazda for confirmation and explanation. A representative gave us the following statement:
“While Mazda is preparing to launch its next generation of BEVs in Europe, starting with the All-new Mazda6e this summer, sales of the MX-30 BEV in Europe are coming to an end. Depending on the market, we will continue to sell local stock vehicles. The 2025 MX-30 will be offered only with the e-Skyactiv R-EV powertrain in Europe. This product aims at European customers desiring a compact PHEV.”
We take that to mean Mazda has an electric car with real range and a more conventional body style that will probably sell far better than the MX-30, so it doesn’t make sense to keep the MX-30 around. It makes sense, the Mazda6e, which made its debut at the Beijing Auto Show last year as the EZ-6, has far better specifications across the board. The base model has a 68.8-kWh battery pack rated for 298 miles of range on the WLTP cycle, more than twice what the MX-30 could manage, and the long-range 80-kWh battery pack is rated for 343 miles. Also, while not a powerhouse at 255 horsepower for the base model, and 241 for the long-range version, they still offer an extra hundred horsepower over the MX-30 EV’s 143. Plus, the 6e has four conventional doors in a larger package, so it’s likely more useful to more buyers.
Related
Rotary-Engined Mazda MX-30 Revealed With 400 Miles Of Plug-In Hybrid Range
With more power, it’ll also nearly quadruple the EV’s driving range.
The MX-30 Isn’t Completely Dead
As the statement notes, the MX-30 isn’t gone completely. The rotary version will continue to be available, and it makes much more sense. As a plug-in hybrid, it can sort of be a Prius for Mazda. It has a 53 miles of electric range, which should be very useful in more dense areas around Europe, but could probably even be useful in the US. It then has a single-rotor 830-cc engine and a fairly large 13.2-gallon gas tank to keep the car going once the charge has run out. It fits in as a vehicle from Mazda that’s small, can be electric much of the time, but offers gasoline flexibility for those not ready to make the change.
Source: Mazda, Motor1
#Mazdas #Electric #Car #Dead #Market
