2023 Mazda MX-30 PHEV: the one we’ve all been waiting for

Mazda just launched the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, which features a brand-new powertrain with a range of 680 km thanks to an all-new range extender. Plus, the Japanese SUV can still do 85 km on a single charge in EV mode. 

I’ll be honest with you. I was disappointed when Mazda unveiled its first electric SUV back in 2020. The MX-30 is an excellent concept with two doors and two half-door concepts. The Japanese SUV is good-looking, relatively modern, and full of high-tech safety features. The cabin is comfortable and enhanced by a bold design. Up to this point, the MX-30 is perfect. However, things are crumbling when you look at the Japanese SUV’s range which is around 161 km on a single charge. Most EVs are offering a range of 400 km on average and even more in some cases today.

The Rotary Comeback

Yes, you’ve read that correctly; the 2023 Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is equipped with a 0.8-liter rotary engine. However, unlike the RX-8, which was the last car to feature this engine before the MX-30, the Japanese SUV isn’t powered by its rotary engine. It is using it as a range extender. This means the rotary engine is only there to produce electricity when the MX-30 battery is empty.

As for the electric part of the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV powertrain, the battery capacity has been reduced to 17.8 kWh, which is roughly half of what the regular MX-30 has. This means the Japanese SUV is suitable for 85 km of range on a single charge, which is more than enough on a daily bases. The range extender can be used when you forget to plug in your MX-30 or for long trips. Mazda says it is paired to a 50-liter fuel tank which is enough to have almost 600 km of range to MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV.

Even if we have been waiting a long time for it and it isn’t what we were expecting, we are glad the rotary engine finally made its comeback to the Mazda lineup. The rotary engine isn’t the most efficient motor, and it’s so tricky that most people don’t want to work on it. However, it has some huge advantages for a vehicle like the MX-30. It is far more compact than any other type of combustion engine, and it’s very light too. This means it doesn’t have a ton of weight to the MX-30, and it doesn’t take much space either. I see a lot of potential in this new technology, and I am sure Mazda will make it way more efficient in the years to come.

What about Canada

The only thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the fact the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV has been introduced on the European market, not in North America. So we don’t know yet if the Japanese PHEV SUV will come to Canada or the U.S.  

Jean-Sébastien Poudrier