What exactly are you driving?
Mazda MX-30 electric vehicle in Soul Red Crystal.
You’re the boss, you could drive any Mazda – why this one?
I’ve been driving the MX-30 since August 2021. I wanted one right from the time Mazda first announced it was developing the vehicle.
Yes, fortunately I get to choose from any of our cars to drive. But finally having the MX-30 within our range has allowed me to answer the question every car company employee seems to get – have you got an EV yet?
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It’s all well and good to be able to answer: “Yes, we have the MX-30 fully electric EV”, but then the only way to answer the predicted follow-up question of “What’s it like to drive?” is to drive one longer term.
I had no hesitation in choosing the EV. Firstly, to understand what exactly the MX-30 is like to drive and live with, but also to better understand what all the fuss about range, recharge time and anxiety about being stranded with a dead battery is all about.
I have my doubts if I will ever choose an ICE vehicle for daily driving again. I never thought I would ever be an EV evangelist, but I may be turning into one.
Do you get range anxiety - how often do you charge?
I did have some anxiety for the first day (maybe two) but after that, virtually never.
I normally charge every three or four days. I sometimes charge when I’m out and about, like at a shopping mall, but only because the charger is close to the entrance. Mostly I just charge at home with the fast charger supplied with the car.
Who else gets to drive it and when?
Anyone that wants to. I love to see people’s reaction when they drive it.
What’s the best/most interesting feature in this vehicle?
The fast charger we supply with the MX-30 – it’s like having your own gas station at home.
It’s about four times faster to charge than just plugging into a home socket. It also means you can fully charge in about four hours and use the charger app to take advantage of off-peak power prices.
What about the ‘freestyle’ rear doors – help or hindrance in day-to-day use?
Surprisingly practical if you have a bag or jacket, or something you want to pop in the back seat.
What would you change if you could?
I would want a horn with selectable sounds. When driving in a carpark it’s easy to end up behind a pedestrian and they don’t know you’re there. I don’t want to scare the crap out of them, but do need to give them a toot to get past.
What do you always have in your car?
A cardboard box in the boot. So handy when you buy stuff and don’t have a bag to put it in. The box stops it sliding around all over the boot.
Have you embraced the electric vehicle experience – or would you sometimes like to switch back?
Completely and more so the more I drive the MX-30.
What do you think about driverless cars?
Scary – I’m ok with a driverless lift because it knows where it is going and there are no other lifts it can run into. If a driverless car cuts you off can you still give it the finger?