Mazda not ready to bet on EVs but says more plug-ins for the US market
Enlarge (credit: Mazda)
Electrification is a big challenge if you're a small automaker. And Mazda is a small automaker, one that's in danger of being caught out by a range of inefficient gasoline- and diesel-powered vehicles. But the Japanese company hasn't given up on electric vehicles, it says. In an interview with Auto News, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro says the company will be an "intentional follower" in this space and that questionable demand for EVs justifies this strategy.
"One of the big issues for us is demand is uncertain," Moro said. "In the current market, the reality for electrification, in particular for battery EVs, is the pace is not that high. So we may start a little slower in terms of the ramp-up. Not necessarily in terms of timing, but the ramp-up."
In time, we should see a family of new Mazda-designed EVs built on a new platform. But the division that has to design them, called e-Mazda, was only created in November. Moro told Auto News that the division will focus on making EVs lighter and more affordable but won't develop compact or smaller EVs as the cost of batteries makes them unprofitable.