Mazda’s EV expansion has been slow and deliberate with the company taking its time in entering the EV market. While the MX-30 EV was an interesting experiment that ultimately ended as a flop (the quirky CUV is still available in Europe as an E-REV and a mild-hybrid) the company is far from done when it comes to electrifying its lineup beyond its plug-in hybrid models. One of these models is the EZ-60 which is taking aim at the Tesla Model Y and is hoping to use some of the recent turmoil in the segment to try and carve a slice of the market for itself.
EZ-60 channels Mazda’s Chinese connections
The EZ-60 was revealed on the Chinese social media platform Weibo with the SUV being a production version of the Arata concept. This SUV is a second attempt at making a production EV SUV with the model promising to be an improvement over the MX-30. It sure seems that way when you look at the exterior styling which is sharper and allows the SUV to make better use of its dimensions. The front fascia gets a sharper look with the lighting elements flowing around the grille panel with the Mazda logo also being illuminated.
The side profile has a more organic look and the design even features flying buttresses which are an unusual feature in a production automobile. The EZ-60 is the latest example of Mazda’s growing presence in China with the SUV being made as part of a 50:50 partnership the Japanese auto giant has with Chinese automaker Changan with the SUV most likely sharing its underpinnings with the Deppal S07 which is the EV subsidiary of Changan. The interior wasn’t revealed yet, but look for the cabin to share similarities with its sedan counterpart the EZ-6 with the SUV also getting higher quality materials to help it stand out from its source material.
When can I buy one?
For now, the EZ-60 will be limited to certain markets with the Chinese market being one of the first to get it. However, Mazda has said that the SUV will also be sold in other markets including Europe but it remains to be seen if the SUV will make its way to the U.S. The EZ-60 is produced in China and with the trade war between the U.S. and China heating up, the company might choose to withhold it from our shores until the situation changes. In the meantime, the EZ-60 could allow the company to exploit an opportunity to steal sales from the Model Y with Tesla fighting a recent wave of controversies including some involving CEO Elon Musk.
As for the U.S. the company is currently continuing its push into PHEVs in our country with the CX-90 and CX-70 PHEVs being joined by the smaller CX-50 PHEV with that model borrowing its hybrid setup from the Toyota RAV4 Prime.
Carl Malek has been an automotive journalist for over 10 years. First starting out as a freelance photographer before making the transition to writing during college, his work has appeared on numerous automotive forums as well as websites such as Autoshopper.com.
Carl is also a big fan of British vehicles with the bulk of his devotion going to the Morgan Motor Company as well as offerings from Lotus, MG, and Caterham. When he is not writing about automobiles, Carl enjoys spending time with his family and friends in the Metro Detroit area, as well as spending time with his adorable pets.