Sporty SUV gets all-electric power and distinctively-styled doors.
Hmm, how do those doors work?
Mazda has used this month’s Tokyo motor show to unveil the all-new MX-30, its first all-electric BEV.
The compact SUV is roughly the size of the combustion-engined CX-30, a new SUV sitting in between today’s CX-3 and CX-5 that has gone on sale in world markets but not in Thailand yet.
The MX-30 uses the basic platform of the latest 3 sedan/hatch and CX-30, although reinforcements have been made to accommodate battery-electric technology.
The real highlight of the MX-30’s package are those doors. Similar to those used in the now-defunct RX-8 sports car, the rear portals open forward for easier access into the cabin.
Cool! What’s the electric propulsion like?
The MX-30 has 35.5kWh lithium-ion battery and an electric motor delivering around 140hp in European spec, good for 200km driving range.
Although many new BEVs from other brands can travel longer distances under a single charge, Mazda says the MX-30’s range is sufficient given research of customers’ driving habits in Europe.
As well, Mazda says such a battery size produces less emissions over its lifecycle when compared to bigger packs.
A Mazda executive pointed out that the MX-30 offers a more “natural” driving style than in other BEVs whereby there’s less energy regeneration under braking and smoother power delivery during acceleration.
When will it go on sale?
The MX-30 will go on sale globally from 2020 onwards. But whether it will come to Thailand in the near future is another thing due to several factors.
The first reason is Mazda’s stance on the environment. The Japanese car company has repeatedly said that BEVs are only suitable in countries that make energy from renewable sources. Thailand still relies heavily on CO2-emitting plants.
Another factor is the lack of a thorough charging infrastructure in the country explaining why BEVs are still small in numbers on Thai roads and why major carmakers aren’t selling them yet.
The last one is taxation which is deemed inconsistent at the moment. The most recent example is the MG ZS EV coming from China tax-free, explaining why the Japan-sourced Nissan Leaf is priced nearly twice as much, at two million baht.
The MX-30 is said to cost in the same vicinity as the Leaf in places where common taxes apply to all regardless of country of manufacture.
