SoylentNews is people
SoylentNews
The company's CEO claims that affordable and reliable vehicles with combustion engines are a priority for US buyers:
Mazda is late to the electrification party. The MX-30 is far from being the roaring success the Japanese automaker had hoped it would be. It was axed from the United States at the end of the 2023 model year due to poor sales. The range-extending version with a rotary engine is only offered in certain markets, and the US is not on the list. In addition, the EZ-6 electric sedan isn't coming here either. However, the situation isn't all that bad.
Why? Because Americans primarily want gas cars. Speaking with Automotive News, Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro said ICE has a long future in America. Even at the end of the decade, traditional gas cars and mild-hybrid models will make up about two-thirds of annual sales. Plug-in hybrids and EVs will represent the remaining third. In other words, most vehicles will still have a gas engine five years from now.
Mazda's head honcho primarily referred to entry-level models, specifically the 3 and CX-30. Moro believes EV growth in the US has slowed down in the last 18 months or so, adding the trend will likely continue in the foreseeable future. That buys the company more time to develop a lithium-ion battery entirely in-house. The goal is to have it ready for 2030 in plug-in hybrids and purely electric cars. Expect a much higher energy density and "very short" charging times. Interestingly, the engineers already have a "very advanced research base for solid-state batteries."
In the meantime, work is underway on a two-rotor gas engine that will serve as a generator.
Related:
(Score: 3, Interesting) by ElizabethGreene on Friday December 13 2024, @03:00PM (3 children)
I want a cybertruck, but I can't cost justify $80k for it when I can get a new Nissan Versa for under $20k. What I really want is a sub-$20k pickup truck, preferably with a lay-flat bed like on the Kei trucks, that gets the mileage of that Nissan.
For perspective, I'm driving a 2008 F-250 Diesel today. I need the pickup capability a couple of times a week, but I only need its absurdly high towing capacity four or five times a year. I get 19 MPG with it by careful hypermiling. I'd move to a smaller truck if I could for a reasonable price.
(Score: 2) by fliptop on Friday December 13 2024, @05:27PM (2 children)
You can't have both? One smaller good mileage run-around truck and a 3/4 ton for towing.
Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.
(Score: 2) by cmdrklarg on Friday December 13 2024, @08:59PM
If she were going to do that, she may as well get a sedan with good mileage for everyday, and keep the F250 for when it's needed.
Even so, if she's in the US they don't really sell small trucks, and the mid-size ones can be just as expensive as the big ones.
The world is full of kings and queens who blind your eyes and steal your dreams.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by ElizabethGreene on Friday December 13 2024, @09:37PM
If I got another car for free today it would still cost me a thousand dollars a year in insurance and taxes. That pays for a fair amount of gas (Diesel).