Mazda Just Teased An All-Electric Crossover For Europe And China

Mazda and its Chinese partner Changan Automobile released a teaser for their forthcoming electric crossover, called the EZ-60. The short video makes a lot of hay out of the EZ-60’s aerodynamic design, and as is the case with its EZ-6 sedan sibling, the new EV should be both quite attractive and efficient at cheating the wind. Changan Mazda didn’t commit to a timeline for the EZ-60 – which looks a bit like the CX-30 in profile — in its 20-second teaser posted to Chinese social media site Weibo, but we bet it’ll show up by the end of the year.

For More Clues, Look To The Arata Concept

The EZ-60 takes the same basic form and size as the Arata concept from Auto China 2024 in Beijing. That probably means that the Arata’s crisp design language – a futuristic evolution of the company’s current “Kodo” themes — will make it to production with sharper fenders, chamfered rocker panel extensions, and forward-leaning grille. Changan Mazda’s teaser video also reveals one key Arata feature in the production EZ-60: its flow-through D-pillar. The styling element helps clean up the car’s trailing aerodynamics as it drives down the road, reducing drag and lift.

That’s not the only aspect of the EZ-60’s design that cheats the wind. The front end sports an aero element at the top of the grille, which funnels air into special outlets on the hood. The intent isn’t unlike that of the McLaren W1 or Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, where the vents channel air over the front and to the sides to reduce front-end lift and cheat the wind. However, while those supercars employ aero to improve performance, the EZ-60 will likely enjoy real-word range and efficiency benefits thanks to its sophisticated design.

What’s Under The Hood Of The New Mazda EV?

Like the Mazda EZ-6, the EZ-60 will probably be offered with two different powertrain technologies. A fully electric model is a given, likely offering the same 56.1- and 68.8-kilowatt-hour battery packs as the sedan. Ranges will likely fall a bit compared to the lower, lighter EZ-6, for which Mazda claims 298 and 372 miles of range using the generous CLTC scale. In addition to the fully electric models, the EZ-60 will also boast an extended-range EV (EREV) powertrain, wherein an internal combustion engine serves as an on-board generator, exclusively charging the battery. The ICE component will probably mirror the EZ-6, which means a 95-horsepower gasoline mill displacing 1.4 liters.

Like the EZ-6 sedan, which is sold in Europe as the 6e, the Mazda EZ-60 will likely spawn a variant for the Continent. Our neighbors to both the west and the east will probably enjoy remarkably cheap pricing for the crossover when it arrives as soon as the end of the year – the four-door Mazda EZ-6 sells in China for less than $20,000, where the cheapest Tesla Model 3 is a $35,000 proposition. European pricing hasn’t been released yet, but the 6e will still likely undercut the Model 3 and Polestar 2. Following that trend, plan on the Chinese Mazda EZ-60 and European Mazda 60e to deliver impressive aerodynamics, powertrain flexibility, and gorgeous styling for less than their Tesla Model Y rivals.

Source: Changan Mazda on Weibo, via CarScoops