The possible ban on internal combustion engines in the EU threatens the production of the Mazda MX-5. This was stated in an interview with Auto Rai by Christian Schulte, head of R&D at Mazda's European division.
According to him, the concept of the Mazda MX-5 as the lightest possible roadster with minimal inertia and precise weight distribution is incompatible with electrification. Electric vehicles are characterized by a situation where the battery is comparable in weight to the car without it. Even installing a 2.5-liter engine instead of the current 1.6 and 2.0-liter engines would disrupt the balance of the design.
Christian Schulte believes that the only chance to save the Mazda MX-5 after the introduction of the Euro-7 standards at the end of 2027 is to leave the model in its current format. This refers to a lightweight design and gasoline engines with a displacement of no more than 2.0 liters using synthetic fuel. Such gasoline is obtained as a result of the reaction of CO₂ with hydrogen produced by electrolysis using renewable energy sources. In the EU, it is recognized as carbon neutral.
The Mazda MX-5 on the ND platform has been in production for the twelfth year. At the same time, the development of the next generation has not yet begun. The company rejects the concept of an electrified sports car and, according to Schulte, will not release a model if it is not possible to preserve it in its usual format.
