Mazda Eases Further Into the EV Market by Debuting a Mild-Hybrid Expected for the U.S.
Mazda makes a lot of great cars, but one segment that Mazda hasn’t really touched on is the eco-friendly segment. Mazda currently only has one EV in its lineup, and it’s only available in California. Mazda’s hybrid offerings are also pretty scarce, as the CX-70 PHEV is the only hybrid confirmed to release soon. That being said, Mazda is continuing to make efforts to enter this segment, and recently, the automaker confirmed that it would debut a mild-hybrid model in America.
Many automakers are rushing into the EV market
With climate change and rising gas prices, many car shoppers have been switching to hybrids and EVs. Automakers have been trying to meet that demand, and some have been doing that better than others. For example, Ford made the F-150 Lightning to attract customers who wanted a truck that was also an EV. Ford also has additional EV options coming soon, including the Explorer EV.
Many automakers have also invested in hybrids and plug-in hybrids, and Toyota is one of those automakers. The Prius is probably the most famous hybrid option, but Toyota also offers hybrid and PHEV powertrain options on popular cars like the RAV4. However, not every automaker has hopped onto the eco-friendly hybrid or EV train as quickly as Ford or Toyota have.
Mazda is easing into the process, and a mild-hybrid model is coming soon to America
Mazda is one of those automakers that has been slowly working its way into the hybrid and EV segments. Mazda’s first mass-produced EV, the MX-30 EV, is currently only available in California, and it’s mostly to fulfill some emissions requirements. The CX-70 PHEV is Mazda’s only hybrid model, but it’s not even out yet, though it will be soon.
According to Autoblog, Mazda has a mild-hybrid powertrain used by the CX-60, a car that’s not available in the U.S. Despite that, Mazda has plans to bring over the CX-60’s mild-hybrid powertrain. However, it’s currently unknown which Mazda cars will be equipped with it. The CX-60 has a gas-powered 3.0-liter inline-six and a diesel-powered 3.3-liter turbocharged inline-six. They both also have a 48-volt mild-hybrid system.
The diesel version allows the model to get 280 hp and 331 lb-ft of torque. Mild hybrids tend to have better fuel economy than a standard gas-powered version of the model. That said, since there are no plans to release the CX-60 in America anytime soon, the EPA doesn’t have a fuel economy estimate for it. However, Mazda plans to release the CX-70 and the CX-90 sometime in early 2023. Mazda will release more details about their powertrains when the cars are closer to their debut.
Other eco-friendly Mazdas that might come to the U.S.
While the MX-30 is currently only available in California, Mazda has different versions of the MX-30 that are already available overseas. For example, the MX-30 is offered as a PHEV in other markets, and Mazda confirmed that a PHEV version of the MX-30 will be coming to America in the near future.
On top of that, Mazda also has a mild-hybrid version of the MX-30 available in a few markets. Mazda may bring a similar version to the U.S., but that’s not been confirmed. Another engine option that may be coming soon is the CX-60’s PHEV powertrain. It’s a 2.5-liter inline-four that gets about 323 hp combined, and it’s likely similar to what the CX-70 PHEV will offer.
