Mazda is considering manufacturing electric vehicles for the North American market in Mexico starting in 2028, as per a recent report from Automotive News.
The Japanese automaker is planning two electric vehicles for North America, according to the report, which cited comments from Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro, who replaced Akira Marumoto last month.
One of the planned electric vehicles will be based on an existing architecture that can also accommodate hybrid and internal combustion propulsion systems, while the other will be based on a dedicated electric vehicle platform. Reportedly, both models will be introduced in the 2025-2027 timeframe, with initial production in Japan and localized production in North America thereafter.
Shifting production to Mexico would allow the vehicles to qualify for federal electric vehicle tax credits. The new rules include stipulations for local assembly and raw material sourcing but treat vehicles assembled in Mexico the same as those assembled in the U.S., and Tesla is also believed to be considering a Mexican plant.
Mazda already has an assembly plant in Salamanca, Mexico, which manufactures the Mazda 2, Mazda 3, CX-3, and CX-30 models (not all sold in the U.S.), all featuring internal combustion propulsion systems. The automaker’s only other North American factory is a joint venture plant with Toyota in Huntsville, Alabama, currently producing the CX-50 crossover.
Mazda first mentioned its dedicated EV platform in 2021, stating at that time that it would be ready by 2025. The automaker has also been procuring cylindrical battery cells, potentially from Panasonic, which is building a massive factory in Kansas City, Missouri, to serve the North American electric vehicle market.
Under the guidance of former CEO Marumoto, Mazda launched a business plan calling for spending $10.6 billion on electrification until 2030. Mazda aims for up to 40% of global vehicle sales to be electric by that time.
However, in the U.S. and elsewhere, it is suggested that longer-range electric vehicles are the future. Mazda’s only current EV, the MX-30, has a range of only 100 miles EPA and is as rare as an exotic sports car. An extended-range rotary MX-30 R-EV is on the way, but it is not yet confirmed for the United States.
