Mazda recently announced it will be rolling out its first ever all Electric Vehicle EV by 2020 and Plug-in Hybrid models by 2022! Click for the details!

Mazda's first ever electric vehicle is in its plan

Mazda recently announced it will be rolling out its first ever all Electric Vehicle EV by 2020, as well as plug-in hybrids by 2022. This comes on the back of the company’s recent outspoken support to combustion engine powered cars. In fact as early as 2017, Robert Davis an Executive with Mazda public stated the company’s support of combustion engines with this comment:

“The impending death of the internal combustion engine is overrated,”

The company has been a staunch critic of compliance cars (Mazda has not produced any electric or hybrid car yet), and believes that governments should not impose a particular powertrain on the industry but should rather support the industry find reliable engineering solutions to producing energy clean cars. However, several governments including the EU are going ahead to implement the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) for next year. The Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) will surely put Mazda at risk of paying hefty fines for its cars which are already behind the currently utilized New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) standard of 95g/km.



The 2020 Electric Vehicle Launch Plan

The announcement of the impending launch of the company’s EV offering comes as no surprise when you consider the cost and impact the company will face if it were to fall behind in terms of cutting emissions in its cars. According to Mazda, the planned EV will utilize the automakers in house Mazda architecture.


The planned EV will utilize the automakers in house Mazda architecture

Remember, the company is currently operating a partnership with Toyota on developing EV technology and cars. However, the proposed Mazda electric vehicle will not be a product of this famous partnership. Commenting on this the CEO of Mazda Akira Marumoto said:

“We are jointly developing a new EV architecture with Toyota, but we will first introduce our own EV on a Mazda architecture in 2020.”

Speaking further on the proposed delivery of the company’s first ever Electric Vehicle and expected hybrid versions, Akira Marumoto stated:

“…the first Mazda battery-electric vehicle will hit the market next year. Finally, we will introduce plug-in hybrid models from 2021 or 2022. So we will eventually achieve the target, although we will have some difficulties in 2020.”

Mazda which is a much smaller firm compared to the industry's big Fishes like Toyota, Mercedes etc, intends to remain competitive as it pursues its own development and identity with its in house design and technology especially with its recent SkyActiv-X offering, even as it gradually sojourns into the EV market.

Source: https://naijauto.com/market-news/mazda-to-launch-ev-plug-in-hybrid-car-4272