Mazda has revealed a new family SUV at the Shanghai Auto Show this week, as the brand continues to build its battery-powered range. The second electric vehicle to be built as part of a collaboration between Mazda and Changan Automobile, it will go on sale in China later this year in electric and plug-in hybrid forms. As yet, there's no indication as to whether it will arrive in Europe.
It looks like a new CX-5…
In a way, the new EZ-60 is a new CX-5. The new SUV will go on sale alongside the EZ-6 launched last year, offering customers a choice of electric and plug-in hybrid powertrains. The car's design is supposed to look elegant and modern, with a shallow grille, sharp lights and narrow housings for the cameras that replace the door mirrors.
It's aerodynamically optimised, too, with air passageways at the tip of the bonnet to reduce power consumption at high speeds, and a faired-in grille panel that's much more efficient than the larger grille seen on the CX-60 currently sold in Europe.
What about the inside?
Mazda has equipped the cabin with a range of high-tech safety and convenience features, including a system that allows drivers to operate systems using their voice, touch or gesture. There are driver assistance features, too, and there's even an intelligent parking system that can be operated by voice, even from outside the vehicle.
Inside, on the other hand, there's a massive 26.45-inch 5K flat-panel centre display and a virtual 3D head-up display, which gives drivers all the information they need in easy-to-access places. And there's a 23-speaker 3D sound system with headrest speakers, which allows the driver and front passenger to listen to different music.
And under the skin?
Mazda will offer the EZ-60 in electric and plug-in hybrid guises, and although details on the two powertrains are scant, the company says the electric version will get a 600km range, while the plug-in hybrid will manage more than 1,000km on a single charge and a full tank of fuel.
The display car, thought to be electric, drives the rear wheels and has a 50/50 weight distribution between the front and rear axles, in a bid to provide the “jinba-ittai” - a sense of horse and rider as one - driving characteristics that have made Mazda so popular.
So, when will we see this in Ireland?
There's no guarantee we will find the EZ-60 in Europe, but Mazda is clearly growing its electric offering with the Mazda6e that's on its way to replace the old Mazda6. So, whether the EZ-60 comes to this part of the world or not, we can almost certainly expect to see more electric and hybrid Mazdas on the horizon in the not-too-distant future.