mazda unveils first electric car featuring rear-hinged ‘freestyle’ doors

japanese automaker mazda has unveiled it’s first mass-production electric car. unveiled at the 2019 tokyo motor show, the mazda MX-30 features unique freestyle doors, ecological materials and the automaker’s new fuel-efficient skyactiv-x engine, marking a positive step in mazda’s multi-solution approach to reducing emissions.

images courtesy of mazda

the mazda MX-30 delivers 141bhp and 195lb ft from an electric motor powered by a 35.5kwh battery, offering a range of 130 miles. it is capable of 6.6kW domestic charging and and 50kW rapid charging via a ccs connection, the latter of which will give 80% charge in 30 to 40 minutes, claimed mazda.

it features the mazda’s new powertrain the company is calling e-skyactiv. the high-voltage components that comprise the e-skyactiv system include the motor, battery pack, inverter, and dc-dc converter. the direct current from the battery is converted to alternating current by the inverter to drive the motor, while the dc-dc converter steps down the voltage to supply power to the car’s various 12v auxiliary equipment.

inside, a minimalist, modern interior comprises a low and wide dashboard with a seven-inch touchscreen display that features climate control functions. the cabin features unique materials such as fabric made from plastic bottles (a vegan alternative to real leather) and cork used in the ‘floating’ center console that provides storage space. the cork is made of leftovers from a cork stopper company, a throwback to mazda’s origins as a cork producer.

the MX-30’s freestyle doors use custom-designed hinges that allow the front doors to open to 82° and rear doors to open to 80°, giving the car a distinctive and elegant cabin silhouette. this should make loading and unloading cargo easier as well as providing easier access for strollers and wheelchairs.

‘alongside the electrification technologies we are introducing across our range, being a smaller manufacturer we focused all our efforts on creating an electric car that we anticipate will be a second car where the range of our vehicle will meet customers’ needs,’ explains yasuhiro aoyama, president & ceo of mazda motor europe.

the MX-30 is available now for pre-order, which should arrive in european dealerships during the second half of 2020 (UK 2021). cnet reports that the car is also destined for the US. exact pricing is yet to be confirmed, but autocar notes that the MX-30 is expected to start at below £30,000 (approximately $38,500).