Mazda electrifying all production vehicles by 2030

Mazda Motor Corporation has announced electrification and connectivity strategies but won’t ditch the internal combustion engine.

While the auto maker aims to develop two battery electric vehicles, one will be paired with a refined rotary engine as a range extender.

The company will introduce EVs as the optimal solution in regions that generate a high ratio of electricity from clean energy sources or restrict certain vehicle types to reduce air pollution.

Mazda says it will deploy some form of electrification in all production vehicles by 2030.

By then, it expects that internal combustion engines combined with some form of electrification will account for 95% of the vehicles it produces and battery electric vehicles will account for 5%.

A 90% reduction versus 2010 levels is planned in Mazda’s corporate average “well-to-wheel” carbon dioxide emissions by 2050.

The rotary-powered range extender is designed to also burn liquefied petroleum gas and provide a source of electricity in emergencies.

Mazda also aims to leverage the alliance with Toyota Motor Corporation in the development of connectivity technologies.

“They say that the automotive industry is undergoing a once-in-a-century transformation,” Mazda representative director, president and chief executive officer Akira Marumoto says.

“At Mazda, we see this as an opportunity to create a new car culture.

“New trends and technologies in connectivity, autonomy, sharing and electrification offer new possibilities for creating ever more attractive cars.”