In a significant shift, Mazda announced on Thursday a large-scale electrification strategy, including plans for a dedicated electric vehicle platform by 2025 and other electrified models before that date.
Mazda has tried to keep up with stricter global emission standards by improving the efficiency of its internal combustion engines, but now it seems the automaker is fully embracing electrification in a somewhat hasty manner.
The EV platform will be called the Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture and will accommodate a variety of vehicle sizes and body styles, said a Mazda press release, adding that multiple models are planned between 2025 and 2030.
Meanwhile, Mazda plans to launch five hybrids, five plug-in hybrids, and three fully electric cars between 2022 and 2025. Mazda said it plans to focus on key markets, including the United States, China, Europe, and Japan, but did not specify if each new model would be available in every market. The electric crossover MX-30 will arrive in the U.S. later this year, and collaboration with Toyota can be expected as part of an ongoing partnership between the two automakers.
With these launches, Mazda hopes that its entire lineup will have some degree of electrification by 2030, with electric vehicles representing 25% of that total.
Considering Mazda’s apparent lack of interest in electric vehicles to date, this approach seems somewhat scattered. However, developing hybrid and fully electric propulsion systems is expensive, and as a smaller independent automaker, it is especially challenging for Mazda to find the necessary resources.
Mazda tested electric propulsion systems versus hybrids years ago and concluded that drivers preferred the characteristics of electric vehicles. This might have dissuaded Mazda from offering more hybrids, but it did not seem to accelerate the development of electric vehicles.
Instead, Mazda’s SkyActiv-X homogeneous charge compression ignition (HCCI) engine and the SkyActiv-D diesel have been emphasized for some time to reduce emissions and improve efficiency.
