The most critical number concerning most EVs of today isn't 0–100km/h times or even prices; its range per charge. This is the yardstick that most defines to the everyday consumer how viable switching from trusty internal combustion car to electric can be given their everyday habits (not to mention the desire for a road trip every once in a while).
Late last year Mazda whipped the covers off its first fully electric vehicle; the MX-30. In many ways it's exactly what you'd expect from the Japanese marque; a quality cabin, earworm-like exterior design, with a few little points of difference (like those freestyle doors) sprinkled on top.
But, the one slight disappointment for some might've been its battery size. The presence of a 35.3kWh lithium-ion battery pack at launch (enough for an estimated 200km range) would've perhaps been considered beyond par a few years ago, but as EV tech becomes more advanced it's somewhat interesting that an SUV like the MX-30 can sport a smaller battery than more compact rivals, such as the Nissan Leaf hatch (40kWh) and Hyundai Ioniq sedan (38.3kWh).
SUV rivals like the Hyundai Kona EV and Volvo XC40 EV, for reference, are available with 64kWh and 78kWh batteries, respectively.
In a recent interview with European publication Automotive News, Mazda Europe boss Yasuhiro Aoyama said that part of the decision behind the battery size was in the hope of keeping weight down. And indeed the MX-30's 1700kg mass is much lighter than you'd expect for an EV SUV. This helps the all-new vehicle retain Mazda's 'zoom zoom' methodology intact, at least in theory.
Read more: Eco warrior — inside Mazda's first EV, and why they aren't giving up on petrol
In addition, Christian Schultze, director and of Mazda Europe’s Research & Development Center, said that the battery size is specifically tailored to urban drivers that cover between 40km and 70km a day. This is a sentiment echoed by Mazda New Zealand managing director David Hodge.
“What gets all the noise is the range of an EV, but we need to look at it differently. Before you commit yourself to an EV, study what your driving habits are,” said Hodge — speaking to Driven at the 2019 Tokyo motor show.
“How much do you really drive? How often do you drive 100km in a day? If 90 per cent of your driving is short length, maybe an EV suits you. You don’t buy a cellphone because its battery lasts eight days. As long as it lasts a day, you charge it every night just as you will with an EV. When you buy a petrol car, the size of the petrol tank is not on the list.”
Schultze added that while the MX-30's platform potentially allows for the application of a larger battery, there are no plans as of yet to add one to the line-up.
Price may well be the other elephant in the room, with a smaller battery likely to help steady the MX-30's pricing relative to other EVs. But with dollar figures both foreign and domestic still to be confirmed, it's a case of 'wait and see'.
