Mazda Goes Electric - Carefully
Mazda has so far been, well, reluctant when it came to newfangled powertrains. Now they can’t help it any longer and announce their intention to jump on the electric train. Mazda announced today that it is working on a plug-in. It is an electrified version of what Mazda sells as the Demio in Japan, or as the Mazda2 in most other markets. The pluggable Mazda will be available in spring of 2012. In a way.
The electrified Mazda will have a range slightly better than the competition: 200 kilometers, or 124 miles. Nevertheless, Mazda thinks the public isn’t ready for it.
The car will be leased mainly to local government and corporate users. ”Electric vehicles are useful for people who travel within a short distance,” Mazda President Takashi Yamanouchi said at a press conference in Tokyo, while The Nikkei [sub] was taking notes. In other words: Pizza delivery, low-ranking local government.
The car also won’t be cheap. The sticker of the car will be 2.5 million to 3 million yen ($30,000 to $36,000) – after subsidies. That’s about double the gasoline-powered option. No wonder they see only limited market potential in the car.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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It's a 2.
" Mazda has so far been, well, reluctant when it came to newfangled powertrains." They were one of the first to use the rotary engine, way back in the 70's.
That is about what a Leaf costs if I am not mistaken. Batteries are very expensive.
Mazda's sales are flat. They should boost their 'normal' car sales before adding novelties.