Japanese automaker Mazda has unveiled this week plans to spend nearly $A16 billion to electrify its vehicles over the remainder of the decade, increasing its share of EV sales to as much as 40% by 2030.
Mazda, one of the most popular car brands in Australia, has regularly found itself lambasted for its comparatively lacklustre EV ambitions. Along with local rivals Toyota and Honda – both of which have made their own recent electrification announcements – Mazda’s goal of EV sales of 25% by 2030 was seen as remarkably slow.
In a pair of announcements made this week, however, Mazda is looking to at least improve that target with plans to increase the share of EVs in its global sales to somewhere in the range of 25% to 40%, although it still trails many other car makers that plan to go full electric by 2025 or 2030.
However, in trying to turn things around, Mazda is mimicking the turning circle of a cargo ship. A three-phase strategy includes a new hybrid system to be deployed alongside battery EVs in China before a companywide turn to “the full-fledged launch of battery EVs”.
Two unspecified “vision study” images were also paired with Mazda’s announcement, showing a sleek white vehicle with some of Mazda’s signature design cues.
With no added information, Mazda also revealed it would “consider investing in battery production.”
A little more information was provided for the company’s plans to partner with various companies across a variety of electrification related research projects, including the joint development and production of electric drive units.
Interestingly, while Mazda did not make mention of such in both press announcements, the company did highlight its plan “to complete the electrification of all vehicle models by 2030”, suggesting Mazda is hoping to provide a BEV variant of all its models by the end of this decade.
Mazda has also set itself a target of converting its factories carbon neutral by 2035, on the way to reaching full companywide carbon neutrality by 2050.
Senior managing executive officer Akira Koga told reporters that Mazda would be investing 1.5 trillion yen, which converts to around $A15.9 billion.
Unnamed Mazda executives were also quoted as saying that the company had reached a supply agreement with battery maker Envision AESC for a limited period between 2025 and 2027.
Joshua S. Hill is a Melbourne-based journalist who has been writing about climate change, clean technology, and electric vehicles for over 15 years. He has been reporting on electric vehicles and clean technologies for Renew Economy and The Driven since 2012. His preferred mode of transport is his feet.