Mazda Appears to Be Testing Future Electric SUV in California
Mazda, like so many others, has decided to revise its electrification plans and emphasize a multi-powertrain approach—including internal combustion engines, hybrids and battery EVs—as it strives to meet different driving environments and customer needs in the years to come.
That said, when can we expect to see the first dedicated electric SUV that will make us forget the failed experiment that was the MX-30? Back in April at Auto Shanghai, the Japanese automaker unveiled the sleek EZ-60, designed for China in partnership with Changan Automobile. It will be available in electric and plug-in hybrid variants.
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Another next-generation EV, manufactured in Japan for various global markets, is scheduled for 2027 or 2028. That one has not yet been unveiled, but it appears that Mazda has begun conducting road tests in the U.S.
An exhaust-less test mule was recently spotted near Mazda's U.S. research and development center in Irvine, California. Pictures circulating online, which we unfortunately cannot show you because they were taken by spy photographers, suggest a vehicle in the mold of the CX-70/CX-90 duo, albeit slightly smaller.
While it's not uncommon for an automaker to test a vehicle in a country other than its target markets, it can't be the Chinese-bound EZ-60 here, which tends to confirm that this is indeed the future electric SUV Mazda is planning for us. Remember, the U.S. is Mazda's largest and most profitable market globally, although the company doesn't operate any factories there.
The vehicle will be based on an all-new dedicated EV platform that is unique to Mazda (above), called "SKYACTIV Scalable Architecture," which can be adapted to vehicles of various sizes and different body styles.
As mentioned above, however, there's no need to get too excited or hold our breath just yet, as production in Japan won't begin until 2027. In the meantime, Mazda enthusiasts eager for electrification will have to make do with the plug-in hybrid variant of the CX-70 and CX-90, which enables approximately 42 km of all-electric range, or wait for the CX-5 Hybrid expected in 2027.
