Mazda to introduce five new plug-ins and three EVs by 2025

Friday, 18 June 2021

Watch: take a closer look at Mazda's first-ever pure-electric vehicle, the MX-30.

Mazda has updated its product and company roadmap, adding new details on how it will reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Japanese carmaker is set to release no fewer than five plug-in hybrid vehicles between 2022 and 2025, along with five regular hybrids and three pure-EVs. These will use Mazda’s new ‘SkyActiv Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture’ and focus mainly on Japan, Europe, the US, China and ASEAN markets.

“Several” more models on the new platform will be introduced between 2025 and 2030. Mazda added that at least some of these will use Toyota's hybrid system, but didn’t elaborate on any details.

The MX-30 is Mazda’s first fully electric vehicle, but it definitely won’t be the last.

Based on this, and the gradual rollout of mild-hybrid electrification to other Mazda models, the manufacturer says every car it makes will have some level of electrification, as well as a 25 per cent of its line-up being fully electric.

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Internal combustion will still be part of Mazda’s operation, with development continuing on the SkyActiv-X homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine as well as its upcoming straight-six engines that are expected to power the next version of the Mazda6 sedan as well as new generations of CX-5, CX-8 and CX-9 SUVs. These engines will get some degree of electrification as well.

Elsewhere, Mazda is working on a more advanced autonomous driving system, called “Mazda Co-Pilot Concept”.

It will be able to monitor the driver’s condition at all times to automatically activate the autonomous driving system if the driver can no longer safely control the vehicle.

The car will brake on its own before coming to a full stop where safely possible, and even call an ambulance.

Mazda plans to start the rollout of Co-Pilot with its new Large Products from 2022.

Finally, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu and Toyota will jointly develop standard engineering specifications of next-generation in-vehicle communication devices. This refers to the software behind the vehicle, including infotainment, something Mazda calls “mobility as a service (MAAS)” and over-the-air updates.

MAAS could include allowing users to upgrade their cars after the initial purchase, for example adding more advanced autonomy, something Volkswagen is also flirting with.