Mazda will manufacture electric vehicles in Japan with Panasonic batteries

Mazda has made a bold move in the race for electrification, announcing that its first electric vehicle designed from scratch will be manufactured in Japan with Panasonic battery technology and a completely new platform developed in-house. This move marks a milestone in the strategy of the Japanese manufacturer, which seeks to position itself as a key player in the electric vehicle market, offering its already popular models but with fully electrified powertrains.

The cornerstone of this electric revolution is the new battery plant that Mazda is building in the city of Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan. The facility, which will have a annual production capacity of 10 GWh, will focus exclusively on developing cylindrical batteries supplied by Panasonic Energy. These batteries will be the heart of Mazda’s future electric models, starting with its first vehicle developed on a 100% dedicated EV platform, since, unlike other manufacturers, it will be exclusive to fully electric powertrains and not multi-energy, which would accommodate hybrid technologies.

This platform, which promises to be ready in 2027, is an in-house development by Mazda, underlining the brand’s commitment to innovation. According to the company, this architecture will allow it to create vehicles that stand out for advanced design, superior comfort for their segment and extended range.

Beyond the MX-30: a new generation of electric vehicles

Although Mazda has already ventured into electrification with models such as the MX-30, a fully electric crossover launched in 2019, this new model represents a qualitative leap. Unlike the MX-30, which was built on a modified platform originally designed for combustion engines, the next electric vehicle will be a completely new product, conceived from the ground up to be electric.

Mazda has also made significant progress in China with the launch of the EZ-6, a mid-size electric saloon based on a platform shared with Changan. These steps show that the brand is not willing to fall behind in the competitive global electric vehicle market.

Battery innovation

Mazda is not limited to Panasonic’s cylindrical batteries; the company is actively working on the development of next-generation lithium-ion batteries and solid-state batteries. The latter are seen as the “holy grail” of battery technology for their ability to offer higher energy density, safety and faster charging times.

Chief Executive Officer of Mazda, Masahiro Moro, has also revealed that the company is building an advanced research base to accelerate the development of these technologies. The goal is to incorporate these innovative batteries into the brand’s electric vehicles and PHEVs by 2030.

A promising future

Mazda is betting heavily on an electric and sustainable future. With its first dedicated EV platform on the way, a state-of-the-art battery plant under construction and a comprehensive focus on developing advanced technologies, the Japanese brand is charting an ambitious path towards electrification, one that will surely make things very difficult for its main rivals, just as it did with the new Skyactive engine…