Mazda’s first all-electric car in the United States will be a stylish crossover with hidden rear doors for coupe-like proportions. It will also offer a range-extended version carrying a rotary engine. Mazda North American operations chief Jeff Guyton says the vehicle will be sold in America, “though we haven’t talked about the date publicly yet.”
The MX-30 is already on sale as a battery-only vehicle in Europe, where it claims a range of just 124 miles. The range extender, then, might be a reasonable way to make it competitive here. Guyton says, however, that engineers plan to improve the range of the all-electric version before bringing it to the U.S.
With a contrast-color roof and half-doors in the back like those found on older Honda Element or Toyota FJ Cruiser SUVs, it’s a new look for Mazda.
Rotary engines, for the uninitiated, were historically a specialty of Mazda sports cars. But the brand hasn’t offered one in the U.S. since the RX-8 left the market at the end of 2012. They use a different configuration than the cylinder-based shape of every gasoline engine currently for sale in America. They also pack a lot of power in a small size and are smooth in operation. These characteristics may serve well as the accessory engine that acts as a generator to extend the range of an otherwise-electric car.
Mazda’s other electrifications plans include a joint venture with Toyota that features the latter’s hybrid system in a new crossover coming from an Alabama plant.
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