We still have to thank the Japanese magazine CarTop for revealing the first Mazda EV’s name. InsideEVs’ readers know it will be called MX-30 since October 21. And also know what it will look like when it starts to be delivered in the second half of 2020, Mazda's centenary year. What you did not know is that you can already order your MX-30 in some European countries. The Japanese automaker has also released most of the technical information we were after for a long time.
Gallery: 2020 Mazda MX-30
The MX-30 is 4.40 m (173.2 in) long, 1.80 m (70.9 in) wide, 1.57 m (61.8 in) tall, and it has a 2.66 m (104.7 in) wheelbase. It has a similar size to a Lexus UX or a Toyota C-HR. Mazda calls the suicide rear doors with no B-pillars Freestyle doors. Some see it as a tribute to the RX-8, but it reminds us more of the BMW i3, which presents a similar door arrangement and is also electric.
As expected, the MX-30 has a small battery pack, especially for a car that is not massive but is much heavier than the Honda E. Both have a 35.5 kWh. While the urban Honda promises 220 km (137 mi), the MX-30 would be able to offer 200 km under the WLTP cycle.
In its press release, it provocatively says it wanted a car with a battery, not a battery with wheels. Mazda would solve that low range with a Wankel range extender. Anyway, the company did not mention it in any part of the multiple press releases we have consulted and the one that is published here.
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That gives the car a new perspective. Contrary to what Mazda said before, it will be a pure electric vehicle, even if with a minimal range. The Japanese carmaker says it is more than enough to cover a typical European driver’s daily needs – 48 km, according to the company – but it is not enough for a trip, for example.
We thought the MX-30 would necessarily come with the Wankel range extender. Mazda promised it when it presented the E-TPV concept. The bottom line is that the REx will probably only be an option. And not a very cheap one.
While most EV fans probably prefer it this way, Japanese and European drivers may be disappointed. Nissan offers the e-Power system, which relies on gas, and it has the best-selling car in its home market because of that. Europe still needs a better charging infrastructure in some countries, such as Portugal, where customers can already order the vehicle.
Is Mazda just not speaking about the range extender at this point? If it necessarily offers it, where is the fuel tank filler located on the body? We don’t believe that is the case, but we will contact Mazda after more details on the car.
Mazda MX-30 – An electric car for the environment…. and the driver
Tokyo, 23/10/2019
Mazda’s first production electric car, the Mazda MX-30, available now for pre-order following its premiere at the Tokyo Motor Show, has been developed for customers who don’t want to sacrifice driving pleasure when they buy an electric car.
With its unique freestyle doors, ecological materials and right-sized battery giving a range of approximately 200km1, exceeding the 48km average daily drive of the European customer2, the Mazda MX-30 marks another positive step in Mazda’s multi-solution approach to reducing emissions following the recent arrival of the innovative Skyactiv-X engine.
A car with a battery, not a battery with wheels
Commenting on the premiere of the Mazda MX-30, which will arrive in European dealerships during the second half of 2020 (UK 2021), Yasuhiro Aoyama President & CEO of Mazda Motor Europe said:
“As with all our products, our designers and engineers had a very clear goal for our first battery-electric vehicle. It had to have stand out design, be great to drive, something that is key part of Mazda’s DNA and makes us unique when compared with competitors, and most importantly, make a positive contribution to reducing emission across the entire life cycle of the product.
“Alongside the electrification technologies we are introducing across our range, being a smaller manufacturer we focused all our efforts on creating an electric car that we anticipate will be a second car where the range of our vehicle will meet customers’ needs.
“Many of the media who have driven our test vehicle have said it is one of the few electric cars they have driven with the positive characteristics of a regular car. Delivering driving pleasure is at the heart of every Mazda we design and that will be no different in our electric car.”
A focus on the driver
Like every other Mazda, the Mazda MX-30 provides a very natural and responsive driving feel by accelerating, turning and braking exactly as you intend in everyday driving situations.
In the Mazda MX-30, this is achieved through the innovative engineering approaches in the e-Skyactiv package. This includes also the battery being rigidly integrated into the vehicle body structure which enhances the overall body stiffness and provides excellent response to the driver's input.
In addition, given the importance of sound to a drivers’ perception of torque and speed, the Mazda engineers have also created an electronic sound system inside the Mazda MX-30, which is synchronized to motor torque in sound frequency and sound pressure. This leads to less variation in vehicle speed resulting in very stable driving which is further supported by Mazda’s unique G-Vectoring Control (GVC) has been expanded and uses the advantages of the electric motor (electric G-Vectoring Control Plus).
Distinctive Kodo design
With the Mazda MX-30, we continue the Mazda design focus of “less is more” when it comes to the exterior and interior of our cars.
The cabin has a sense of oneness, flowing from the top of A pillar to the rear end. The color of the framed top roof makes this feeling even clearer. The freestyle doors give the Mazda MX-30 a distinctive and elegant cabin silhouette, as well as providing customers with easier access to both the front and rear seats.
In the interior we are also introducing eco-friendly materials and are replacing much real leather with a vegan alternative. There is also environmentally sourced cork featured in the floating center console which provides creative storage space.
What’s in a name?
Mazda has used the MX prefix on several products that were designed and engineered to challenge the assumptions in the automotive industry at the time. With the MX-5 we created a sporty two seater when the roadster had been dismissed by other manufacturers.
With the Mazda MX-30, we have created a completely new EV experience with the Mazda DNA of unique interior and exterior design and great driving dynamics, ensuring that our customers are still able to experience the joy of driving for which Mazda is famous.
Product specification*
The Mazda MX-30 is available now for pre-order in several EU markets and will arrive in markets during the second half of 2020.
Body type
SUV
Seating capacity
5 persons
Overall length × overall width × overall height
4,395mm × 1,795mm × 1,570mm
Wheelbase
2,655mm
Powertrain
e-SKYACTIV
Front suspension
MacPherson strut
Rear suspension
Torsion-beam
Steering
Rack and pinion
Brakes (front/rear/control)
Ventilated discs/Solid discs
/Regenerative cooperating brakes
Tire size
215/55R18
Drive battery
Type
Lithium-ion battery
Cell
Prismatic
Total voltage
355V
Total electric power (battery capacity)
35.5kWh
Motor
Type
AC synchronous motor
Cooling system
Water-cooled
Charging
DC charging
COMBO spec
AC charging
Maximum input 6.6kW
*The stated figures are provisional values