Mazda Is Going To Give American Car Buyers Exactly What They Want

Is Mazda’s lagging behind in electric and electrified vehicles in the US a feature and not a bug? That’s how the Japanese automaker’s CEO is describing Mazda’s plan (or lack thereof). CEO Masahiro Moro spoke with Automotive News about Mazda’s plans for the US market, how the automaker is dealing with an uncertain upcoming administration, and his plans for Mazda to finally develop its own next-generation EV battery. In about six more years.

Oh, and both he and the company are still one hundred percent stuck on the rotary engine to power its upcoming PHEV and range-extended models, which will expand far beyond today’s MX-30.

Mazda CEO Expects Plug-In Models To Be Just One-Third Of Sales In 2030

Moro told the publication that even by 2030, he expects models with a plug to make up only about one-third of brand sales in the US. That includes both BEV and PHEV models. He believes that two-thirds will be standard internal combustion or hybrid models.

“Customers are looking for affordable solutions rather than electrified solutions. They are looking for better value. They are still looking for a reliable internal combustion engine,” he said. That, Moro told AN, applies particularly to its entry-level models like the CX-30 and Mazda3.

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Moro said that the company had previously expected 25 to 40 percent electric vehicle sales by 2030 around the world. Now, he expects it to be less than even 25 percent. In the US, Moro said, the automaker is closely watching to see what the Trump administration will do. Changing credits and tariffs on EVs and other vehicles make a big difference to automaker plans. “I’m sure battery EVs will increase, but the pace of penetration will slow a little. Deployment could be pushed back a little,” he said.

The CEO described Mazda’s approach to EVs as “a prudent approach as an intentional follower from the beginning.” Moro said, “I want Mazda to secure the freedom of choice of the customer.” As long as, evidently, that customer wants internal combustion.

New Battery, New Four-Cylinder, And New Rotary All On The Way

Despite Moro’s conviction that buyers want gas, sales of the brand’s first conventional hybrid model in the US, the CX-50 Hybrid, have exceeded expectations. Moro said he was expecting the model to get a one-third share, but it now appears to be closer to 40 percent. He added that one-third of CX-90 sales are for the PHEV variant.

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Mazda plans to have a next-generation lithium battery for 2030. Moro says it will have high energy density and quick charging, though 2030 is a long way out. Before then, Moro says, Mazda is still moving toward a two-rotor engine for the US. “I want a rotary engine that complies with very stringent emission regulations. That is going to be a significant challenge. We are very close,” he said.

In the meantime, expect the new Skyactiv-Z four-cylinder to help Mazda keep churning out affordable and reliable gas cars, an engine Moro calls “the ultimate.” ” It must pass stringent emissions and take us beyond 2030. Normally aspirated engines would have to decrease output by 30 percent to comply with such stringent standards. But this engine defies that usual theory and keeps output while delivering outstanding environmental capability. That is a significant breakthrough.”

Source:
Automotive News