Mazda: consciously ‘follower’ instead of ‘leader’ in the EV field

Reports from Automotive News – which spoke to Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro – show that the Japanese carmaker will have seven or eight electric models in its international lineup by around 2030. Some of this could also be sold in Europe, although the CEO has not yet made any statements about this.

With currently one EV in its range, Mazda is certainly not a leader when it comes to electric cars. Moro, who took over as CEO in the middle of this year, indicates, among other things, that Mazda is consciously a ‘follower’ rather than a leader when it comes to EVs. “For us, the demand for electric models is too uncertain,” Moro told Automotive News. “The demand for electric cars is still increasing too slowly. Customers are still looking for alternatives that are not EVs.”

Mazda previously indicated that it expects EVs to make up 25 to 40 percent of its global sales by around 2030. The CEO also says that Mazda has established a department dedicated to the development of new so-called dedicated EVs. These will be placed on a modular EV platform. The first new electric Mazda on this basis should come onto the market between 2025 and 2027. According to the top executive, his brand will focus strongly on keeping weight within limits and keeping costs as low as possible during the development of these EVs. Initially, Mazda focused mainly on crossovers. You shouldn’t expect a small electric model anytime soon because of the cost, if we can believe Moro’s words. Mazda will work closely with Toyota, among others, for its EVs. It will also use software from Toyota, among other things, although Mazda must develop the technical basis of the new electric models independently.