Mazda in reverse gear as it discontinues EV in favour of hybrids

Japanese automaker Mazda is discontinuing the MX-30 electric SUV in the United States, less than two years after the company launched the electric crossover with only a 35.5kWh battery.

While many are happy to see the rear of the Mazda MX-30 EV, given its small battery modest range of just 148 kilometres and relatively high price starting at $US34,000, the decision to discontinue sales of the EV and focus on hybrid models is raising eyebrows.

So unpopular has the Mazda MX-30 EV been, that it appears only to have been sold in California and saw only 66 units sold so far this year.

Mazda has now promised that its “current US electrification efforts” will focus on “large platform PHEVs” including the plug-in hybrids 2024 CX-90 PHEV and upcoming CX-70 PHEV, as well as the non-plug-in hybrid CX-50 Hybrid.

Mazda will not be following suit in Australia, however.

Mazda launched the MX-30 EV in Australia in 2021, before seeing prices slashed in mid-2022 due to the car’s lacklustre range.

A Mazda spokesperson told CarsGuide that they had “recently launched a minor update to the model and it continues to be sold to our expectations.”

“We originally requested an initial allocation of 100 MX-30 Electric units for the Australian market, and all of them have sold,” the Mazda Australia spokesperson told CarsGuide.

“New vehicle orders have also been, and continue to be, fulfilled on an individual basis as and when received.”

Similarly, Carsales reports a Mazda spokesperson as saying that the MX-30 remains an “important pillar” in the brand’s “multi-solution approach to sustainable vehicles” in Australia.

“Its introduction here gave our local dealer partners time to prepare and invest in the necessary EV infrastructure ahead of the introduction of the first-ever, all-hybrid Mazda CX-60,” they said.