Mazda Looks to Electrify 95 Percent of Lineup by 2030

author: Vineeth Joel Patel   

Mazda currently has zero electrified vehicles on sale. While other brands have been busy spending millions to develop electrified powertrain, the Japanese brand has leaned heavily on its Skyactiv technology and all of its fuel-economy benefits. That's going to change, as the company's "Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030" now includes electrified powertrains. 

All Of Mazda's Cars Will Have An Electric Aspect By 2030

In a press release, Mazda outlined all of the changes it's hoping to make by 2030 under the automaker's new strategy. The major news is that Mazda is planning to further reduce emissions through what it calls "lightweight electrification technologies," planning to have 95 percent of its lineup to have some sort of electrification. The plan also includes fully-electric cars to account for 5 percent of its lineup. 

Mazda's announcement to come out with more electrified vehicles is something we've heard about before, when the automaker teamed with Toyota last September. Under that initial report, the first electrified offering would be on the road by 2019. 

Full details on what kind of electrification Mazda is referring to are still out in the air, but the automaker said that its electric vehicles would be available in regions "that generate a high ratio of electricity from clean energy sources." The vehicles will also be developed in-house and retain Mazda's ideology of being centered around the brand's "human-centered development philosophy." 

Ushering In A New Era Of Rotary Engines

Under the new 2030 plan, Mazda will develop two electric vehicles. One of those will be powered solely by electricity, while another will be a hybrid. The hybrid, though, will have a similar "range extender" layout as the Chevrolet Volt, which predominantly relies on its electric motors to get around, while still having a gasoline engine that constantly charges the batteries. 

That engine, and Mazda fans will love this, will be a rotary, which the automaker chose thanks to its small size and high power output. The rotary engine will able to run on liquefied petroleum gas and also act as a source of electricity in the case of an emergency.  

While the automaker didn't come out and directly say it, to fulfill it's goal of having electrified cars account for 95 percent of its lineup, the first two cars will most likely pave the way forward for the others. The rotary-engine powered vehicle sounds the most interesting, as it sounds like a plug-in hybrid model, which we found to be some of the best electrified vehicles at the moment.  

In addition to coming out with electric vehicles, Mazda is also developing SkyActiv-X engines that have diesel-like levels of compression that can boost fuel economy. If Mazda were to incorporate that engine alongside an electric powertrain, it could create one of the more efficient plug-in hybrids on the road. 

For an automaker that's entering the electrified scene a little late, Mazda sure has big plans for the future. 

Vineeth Joel Patel

Joel Patel has been covering all aspects of the automotive industry for four years as an editor and freelance writer for various websites. When it comes to cars, he enjoys covering the merger between technology and cars. In his spare time, Joel likes to watch baseball, work on his car, and try new foods