Mazda Swings and Misses on All-Electric MX-30
When Mazda announced the MX-30, the brand’s first battery-electric vehicle in 2021, the company also teased the return of the iconic rotary engine, this time as a range extender similar in implementation to the late, lamented Chevy Volt or the BMW i3.
The range-extender rotary was going to be a key feature, because the MX-30 came with only 100 miles of range from its 35.5 kWh battery pack.
With a starting price of $33,470 for 2022, rising to $37,120 for the Premium Plus package, Mazda was going to need that range extender to make the MX-30 a viable EV. Buyers could spend less and get more than twice the range with the Chevy Bolt or Nissan Leaf.
However, the rotary range extender never appeared and consequently, very few buyers chose the MX-30. Further, the MX-30’s 9-second 0-60 time and top speed of 87 mph were at odds with Mazda’s traditional emphasis on performance and driving enjoyment. Thus, according to CarFigures.com, Mazda sold just 66 examples in the first six months of 2023, and a total of 506 since the MX-30’s 2021 introduction.
There was a lot to like about the MX-30
When TheDetroitBureau.com reviewed the MX-30, we found plenty to like. Assistant Managing Editor Larry Printz wrote, “Its short stance and raked backlight lend the MX-30 a sporty, pugnacious stance that’s appealing and the test car’s two-tone paint scheme was fetching. The MX-30 has rear-hinged half-doors last seen on the Mazda RX-8, making it easy to access the rear seats. The MX-30’s beguiling modern interior is distinctly Mazda. Modern and upscale, it features a center console that’s positively sculptural.”
Editor-in-chief Paul Eisenstein reported, “The MX-30’s cabin adopts a minimalist theme, with key controls shifted to the touchscreen infotainment system. The floating center console and doors, meanwhile, emphasize the use of renewable materials — in this case cork.”
One benefit of the MX-30’s comparatively small battery was a very quick recharge time, measured at 2.5 hours with a Level 2 charger, and 36 minutes with a Level 3 charger. However, offering model year 2013 range in a model year 2023 vehicle was never going to succeed.
Refocus on hybrids
This week, Mazda issued a terse notice that the MX-30 has been axed. “Mazda will discontinue MX-30 EV for the U.S. market following the 2023 model year,” reads the release. “Our current U.S. electrification efforts are focused on large platform PHEVs, such as the first-ever 2024 CX-90 PHEV and upcoming CX-70 PHEV, as well as introducing CX-50 Hybrid into our line-up to address the specific needs of the U.S. market.”
That’s too bad, because we think the plug-in hybrid version announced for other markets last winter, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, could have been more successful here than the MX-30 EV. In the end, the MX-30 will be recorded as a swing and a miss, but we hope Mazda comes back to the plate with a winning EV soon. The world needs an EV with Mazda’s legendary driving dynamics.
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