Zoom-Zoom Goes Electric
Like many car brands, as well as companies from all sectors, Mazda has committed itself to a carbon-neutral future by 2050. In a recent management update shared with its global organization and the press, the “zoom-zoom” brand announced it is significantly accelerating its plans to electrify its model lineup and move toward ending the sale of internal-combustion cars by 2035.
Around the world, government regulations are being updated constantly to reflect the growing need for a carbon neutral future, and the transition to zero-emissions vehicles is in full swing. Many regions, including multiple U.S. states and Canada, have set a goal of ending the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035, with increasing targets for zero-emissions vehicles along the way.
In order to continue to sell cars, and to meet customers’ expectations, Mazda has committed to expanding its range of electrified powertrains, moving towards the lowest possible emissions in a short period of time.
New Electrified Architecture
It all starts in 2023, when Mazda will introduce a new architecture to underpin its internal-combustion, hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and full-electric offerings. The so-called SKYACTIV Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture will debut in two new SUVs, the CX-70 and CX-90, which will target the heart of the family car market in North America.
By 2025, the new architecture will form the foundation of eight new hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV), and battery electric vehicle (BEV) models in North America. These models will include the MX-30 full-electric crossover, currently on sale in select regions, as well as a CX-50 hybrid, CX-70 plug-in hybrid, CX-90 plug-in hybrid, and four additional hybrid models. A fully-electric battery-powered SUV will also be introduced in 2025, and two of the company’s core crossover models will adopt mild hybrid (MHEV) powertrains for increased efficiency and improved emissions.
The company is excited to be bringing plug-in hybrid technology to the new CX-90 and CX-70, and says that they will offer a level of performance that exceeds anything ever offered in North America, along with electrified efficiency, and the styling and quality its customers expect.
Mazda is also hard at work on a dedicated architecture for full-electric vehicles, which it calls the SKYACTIV EV Scalable Architecture. It will be used exclusively for EV models and will debut in 2025. The new platform will be highly flexible, enabling subsequent generations of electric cars and SUVs to be available in various sizes and with many different body types. The 2025 introduction should be well-timed, allowing Mazda to significantly broaden its pure EV offer when it expects major growth in EV sales, between 2025 and 2030.
Multi-Solution Approach
Battery-electric vehicles, and the various forms of hybrid vehicles, are taking an ever-increasing share of the market as fuel costs continue to rise and as drivers become more concerned about reducing their environmental footprint. But even the most bullish forecasts say that internal-combustion engines will represent the majority of new vehicles sold in the next decade.
As such, Mazda says it will continue to invest in improving this legacy technology, continuing to lower the fuel consumption and emissions of its ICE-based vehicles even as it invests in electrification. This multi-solution approach offers a mix of different products and technologies to best suit local markets.
By 2030, Mazda says its goal is for its entire fleet to be electrified – including a mix of battery electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid, hybrid, and mild hybrid vehicles in line with regulatory requirements and customer demand. It feels that offering different electrification approaches we will assure that all its customers can find the right model for them based on their individual needs.
