Mazda MX-30 is the first serial electric car in the history of the Japanese company, made in the popular form-factor of a coupe-like SUV with a formally five-door body (the rear doors here are swing doors that open at an angle of 80 degrees) ... Its main target audience is residents of large cities that are not want to sacrifice a sense of driving pleasure when switching to an "environmentally friendly type of transport", but at the same time have at least one more car with a traditional engine for long journeys ...
The world premiere of Mazda's "firstborn" in the electric car segment, aimed primarily at the markets of Europe, Japan and China, took place on October 23, 2019 at the stands of the International Tokyo Motor Show, and it became a completely in-house development of the Japanese automaker, despite the consortium in this area with other compatriot brands.
The electric car, built not on a full-fledged electromobile platform, but on an adapted "trolley" of the Mazda 3 and CX-30 models, did not impress with the technical component, but at the same time tried on a really catchy design with hinged rear doors in the spirit of the RX-8 rotary coupe and distinguished itself with a modern interior with recycled and synthetic finishes.
Outside, the Mazda MX-30 can hardly be called a "written handsome man", and the word SUV approaches it with a big stretch - it is rather a slightly "raised" five-door hatchback, "flaunting" off-road surroundings like "armor" of unpainted plastic around the perimeter of the body, which looks quite attractive, fresh and sporty fit. Full face, the electric car flaunts the predatory look of LED headlights, a narrow grille with a honeycomb pattern and a "puffy" bumper, and from the rear it boasts sophisticated headlights, a fairly large trunk lid and a completely unpainted bumper.
In profile, the electric crossover has a balanced and dynamic appearance with a long sloping bonnet, a sloping roof with a powerful pillar heavily pushed forward and rear "flaps" without handles, a bit of solidity which is given by rounded-square wheel arches, enclosing 18-inch "rollers" ...
In terms of dimensions, the Mazda MX-30 belongs to the compact segment by European standards: the length of the electric car is 4395 mm, of which the distance between the wheelsets of the front and rear axles extends by 2655 mm, and its width and height are 1795 mm and 1570 mm, respectively.
Interior
Inside the electric crossover, an atmosphere of minimalism reigns, since there are practically no physical switches: this is how a 7-inch display for the infotainment system sticks out at the top of the massive front panel, and a second screen of a similar diagonal with an interactive interface is located at the base of the center console and manages climate functions.
The driver is directly in charge of a stylish multifunctional steering wheel with a three-spoke rim and a modern "instrumentation" with several analogue dials and an 8.8-inch color display between them.
In the interior of the five-door, exclusively environmentally friendly finishing materials are used: recycled cork, recycled polyethylene fabric, artificial leather and others.
According to the passport, the decoration of the electric car has a five-seater layout, but the second row will obviously not pamper passengers with an excess of free space, and access here does not seem convenient because of the rear doors opening "against the course", although the sofa itself boasts a hospitable profile, three headrests and a folding armrest in the center. Front riders rely on ergonomic seats with unobtrusive side bolsters and sufficient adjustment intervals.
How large the luggage compartment of an electric SUV is is not yet officially reported, but according to preliminary data, its volume exceeds 400 liters. "Gallery" is folded in two sections in the ratio "60:40", which significantly expands the cargo capacity of the "hold".
Specifications
The Mazda MX-30 is powered by a single, water-cooled, synchronous AC electric motor located on the front axle, which produces 105 kW (143 horsepower) and 265 Nm of torque. It is powered by a 355-volt lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 35.5 kWh, located under the floor of the passenger compartment.
How dynamic and fast an electric car is is not disclosed, but it is known that on fully "filled tanks" it can cover about 200 km (such modest figures in the company itself are explained by the fact that, for example, the average daily mileage of European motorists does not exceed 50 km).
Fast charging stations with a capacity of 50 kW can replenish energy reserves by 80% in just 30-40 minutes, and a 22 kW Wallbox allows you to fully charge a three-section battery in 4.5 hours. It is permissible to "saturate" the five-door from an ordinary household outlet, but in this case it will take more than 8 hours.
Design features
At the heart of the Mazda MX-30 is an architecture called e-Skyactiv with a lithium-ion traction battery built into the power structure of the body - it is a "bogie" adapted for electric vehicles of the Mazda 3 and MX-30 models.
On the front axle of the electric SUV, an independent suspension with MacPherson struts is used, and on the rear axle, a semi-independent system with a torsion beam. The "base" five-door has electric power steering, and disc brakes are installed on all its wheels (ventilated at the front).
Options and prices
Sales of the Mazda MX-30 in Japan and Europe will begin in the second half of 2020, however, preliminary applications were opened immediately after the official debut. It is already known that in Germany for the execution of the First Edition you will have to pay a minimum of 33,990 euros (~ 2.4 million rubles), but more affordable configurations will appear in the future.
As for the equipment, the "welcome" variant will receive: front and side airbags, full LED optics, 18-inch alloy wheels, a virtual instrument panel, ABS, ESP, a media center with a 7-inch screen, dual-zone climate control, an audio system with eight speakers and other equipment.
