Mazda 6 set to RETURN as the Electric Mazda 6e

The Mazda 6 saloon is set to return as the electric Mazda 6e as Mazda takes the Chinese market EZ-6 and tweaks it for Europe and the UK.

Mazda hasn’t exactly made a dent in the EV market with its sole offering of the MX-30, with buyers shying away from an EV with a small battery and limited range despite it offering sufficient range for almost all normal use.

Now, Mazda is taking a leap in to the part of the EV market populated by big hitters like the Tesla Model 3, with a new Mazda 6 dubbed the Mazda 6e.

The 6e will come with the option of two battery sizes and two motor options, with an entry-level model with a 68.8kWh battery and 241bhp, promising range of 300 miles and a 0-62mph in 7.6 seconds, with the range-topping model getting an 80kWh battery and 255bhp, good for 345 miles and 0-62mph in 7.8 seconds.

Mazda says the 6e is an evolution of its Kodo Design language featuring a low roofline, LED lights around the grille and frameless doors, active rear spoiler and 19″ alloys, and despite its Chineses underpinnings has had “the suspension, power steering and braking carefully calibrated by the team at Mazda Research Europe in Frankfurt to match European and UK preferences“.

Inside doesn’t look very ‘Mazda’ and consigns the vast majority of functions to the infotainment screen and comes with a panoramic roof, 10.2″ driver display, 14.5″ infotainment, augmented reality HUD and either fake or real leather depending on choice.

Jeremy Thomson, MD Mazda Motors UK, said:

The Mazda 6e is the car our dealers have been waiting for, with a nod to the popularity of the Mazda6 it’s a real statement of intent for the future and illustrates how Mazda can bring great design, technology and style to battery electric vehicles.

Despite the images and spec details released, it’s going to be another year before the Mazda 6e arrives in Mazda’s UK showrooms.