Mazda Building Electric 2 Prototypes, Announces Limited Testing in Japan

2010 Mazda2 - Click above for high-res image gallery

Though lagging behind competitors General Motors and Nissan, Mazda will finally enter the plug-in vehicle market in 2012. The Japanese automaker has announced it intends to develop an electric subcompact based on the Demio (aka the Mazda2), and targets a launch date of spring 2012. Before you get geared up for this electric's arrival, it should be noted that, at least for now, Mazda only intends to offer its battery-powered hatch to lessees, mostly government organizations and corporate fleet customers, in Japan.

The Demio-based electric is expected to offer 120 miles of driving range on a full charge and will feature a lithium-ion battery pack, though Mazda is unwilling to disclose the name of its li-ion supplier at this time. Mazda is equally mum on pricing and production volume for its electric hatch, but the automaker's chief executive officer, Takashi Yamanouchi, did offer this brief statement:

We think time will be needed for electric vehicles to become widespread, but there is a definite need for short-range commuters.

The Japanese automaker anticipates that electric vehicles will account for five percent of the world's automotive market by 2020, which we hope indicates that a plug-in Mazda could hit the States by the end of the decade. Mazda's other efficiency efforts are focused on hybrids, rotary engines and cleaner gas engines.




Source: AutoblogGreen