Mazda Delays First Dedicated EV to 2029 as It Doubles Down on Hybrids

Mazda is once again slowing down its transition to electric vehicles, announcing it will delay the launch of its first dedicated EV platform until at least 2029 while significantly reducing planned investment in battery-electric development. The move marks another major shift in strategy for the Japanese automaker, which has long taken a cautious approach to electrification compared to rivals aggressively pushing into EVs. Mazda had originally planned to introduce its first purpose-built EV for North America in 2027, before pushing that timeline to 2028 earlier this year. Now, the company says the vehicle will not arrive until 2029 at the earliest. (via Auto News) At the same time, Mazda is reducing its planned EV investment through 2030 from approximately ¥1.5 trillion (C$13 billion) to roughly ¥830 billion (about C$7.2 billion). Instead, the automaker is redirecting resources toward hybrids and internal combustion development as global demand for hybrid vehicles continues to grow. Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro said the company intentionally avoided overcommitting to EV spending too early, a strategy he now suggests is paying off as automakers around the world reassess electrification plans amid softer-than-expected EV demand growth and changing regulations in North America and Europe. “We made the decision before we started,” Moro said while discussing Mazda’s latest financial results. “For battery EVs, we were always careful.” Hybrids become Mazda’s priority Rather than ramping up EV production, Mazda plans to focus heavily on hybrids over the next several years. The redesigned CX-5, arriving with a hybrid variant in 2027, is expected to play a major role in that strategy. The automaker also confirmed plans to launch three additional hybrid models between 2028 and 2030, powered by its upcoming Skyactiv-Z four-cylinder engine technology. Unlike the CX-50 hybrid, which uses a Toyota-developed system, these future hybrids will rely primarily on Mazda’s in-house engineering. Moro said Mazda is already shifting engineering resources away from EV programs. “Regarding internal man-hours, we are shifting resources back from electric vehicle-related work to internal combustion engines and hybrid vehicles,” he explained. Mazda’s updated targets also show how dramatically its EV ambitions have changed. The company now expects EVs to account for only about 15% of its global sales by 2030, down sharply from earlier forecasts of 25% to 40%. North American EV plans still alive — just delayed Despite the delay, Mazda has not abandoned EV development entirely. Late last year, prototypes of Mazda’s first dedicated EV were spotted testing near the company’s R&D centre in Irvine, California. The crossover-sized prototype was reportedly built on Mazda’s new Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture, a clean-sheet platform designed specifically for battery-electric vehicles. That program now appears to remain active, albeit on a much slower timeline. In the meantime, Mazda plans to lean on Chinese-built electrified vehicles like the EZ-6 sedan and EZ-60 crossover to satisfy EV demand in some markets, particularly Europe. The shift also highlights a growing divide within the auto industry. While some automakers continue investing in EVs, companies like Mazda and Toyota are increasingly betting that hybrids will remain a critical bridge technology for much longer than originally expected.