Mazda going electric

Mazda aims to put out its first production electric vehicle in 2020.

But no information is yet available about the model or where it might be released.

The automotive manufacturer’s chief executive officer Akira Marumoto says in an interview with Automotive News Europe

that its first battery electric vehicle (BEV) will be available next year.

Commenting on how Mazda will meet strict European emissions targets in the next two years, Marumoto says Mazda will introduce plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) from 2021 or 2022.

Mazda trialled a small run of its model variant Demio EVs around 2012, leasing them to local government bodies and corporate customers in Japan, but never proceeded further with it.

The Demio EV was reported to have a 20kWh battery and 200km range, regenerative braking, two charging ports, low-speed pedestrian warning and more.

In about 2016, Mazda said it would provide EVs by 2019, and in 2017 announced a partnership with Toyota to do just that, Electrek reports.

Both have been slow to follow the EV lead set by others, and Toyota has only recently indicated its new EV direction with photos of its coming all-electric lineup.

Marumoto also says next year’s electric Mazda won’t come from the Toyota partnership to develop a new EV architecture but instead will be Mazda’s own EV.