The new Mazda EZ-60 SUV will be sold with a choice of battery-electric and range-extender powertrains, with the latter offering a combined range of more than 621 miles.
The new model, which may come to the UK as an electric counterpart to the CX-60, was recently revealed in China but details were withheld for its debut at the Shanghai motor show.
Mazda has now confirmed that the new model was developed in collaboration with its Chinese joint-venture partner, Changan, in a similar fashion to the previous Mazda 6e saloon.
Based on the same underpinnings as the Changan Deepal SUV – a Tesla Model Y rival due in the UK later this year – it will be offered solely with rear-wheel drive, regardless of the chosen powertrain.
The range-extender uses a 1.5-litre petrol engine as a generator for a 31.7kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery supplied by CATL, which drives a single, 255bhp motor. This delivers an electric-only range of 100 miles, according to China's more lenient CLTC test cycle. It also has a 50:50 weight distribution front to rear, which matches that of the brand's halo product, the MX-5 sports car.
In a further reference to the MX-5, Mazda said the EZ-60 has been tuned to offer the same 'Jinba-ittai' – "the sense of horse and rider as one" – driving experience as the roadster.
Detailed specifications for the battery-electric model remain under wraps but Mazda confirmed that it will offer a range of around 373 miles on CLTC, and a weight distribution of 47:53. For reference, the Changan S07 packs an 80kWh battery and a 214bhp rear-mounted motor, delivering a range of 295 miles on the European WLTP test cycle. It can charge at 93kW, giving a 30-80% recharge in 35 minutes.
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Meanwhile, the Mazda 6e gets a 254bhp motor and a battery pack of the same capacity, yielding 345 miles between charges.
The EZ-60 also draws on the new design language introduced with the saloon, with thin LED daytime-running lights mounted high on the fascia above smaller main-beam headlights. The lower portion of the grille is outlined with LED lighting.
It is notably more angular than the 6e, however, with a prominent chin spoiler on the front bumper and a pronounced shoulder line.
Inside, a 26.45in infotainment screen spans most of the width of the dashboard and a head-up display is projected in front of the driver to show critical information, such as range and speed. The car forgoes conventional side mirrors for rear-view cameras, for which screens are mounted on the doors, under the A-pillars.
Mazda has yet to officially confirm whether the EZ-60 will be sold the UK, but it would give the brand a much-needed boost in its electric car sales, and in one of the most popular classes of car. The company confirmed UK launch plans for the saloon earlier this year.
The Japanese brand previously said it would follow the 6e with a new electric SUV developed independently of Changan, using batteries designed in collaboration with Panasonic. This new model, due around the same time as the next iteration of the combustion-engined Mazda CX-5, will also be assembled in Japan.
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