Everyone’s favorite affordable roadster from Mazda is going electric soon. As one of Mazda’s most iconic cars, the Miata has held onto its reputation for being a fun, sporty two-seater that’s still relatively affordable. With so many automakers moving towards EVs, Mazda finally confirmed that it was working on an electric model of the MX-5 Miata, according to MotorTrend.
Currently, Mazda’s only all-electric offering is the MX-30 EV, which has a lackluster EPA-estimated range of 100 miles and fast charges to 80 percent in around 36 minutes. As exciting as the prospect is, we’re likely still a few years out from the release of an electrified Miata.
ALL-ELECTRIC OR HYBRID?
Mazda kept the details sparse, not disclosing if the next-gen Miata would be a battery-powered EV, a hybrid, or a plug-in hybrid model. The Japanese automaker only revealed that it would work with Rohm Co. on electric powertrains and Envision AESC for batteries. Designing a battery-powered Miata could prove to be a challenge, though, since large battery packs often make up the majority of an EV’s weight. Mazda has been working on bringing back its rotary engine design with the MX-30 hybrid model, but it’s unlikely that it will go into the Miata since the roadster never featured a rotary engine.
We may not have much official information on the electric Miata, but the Japanese auto brand did reveal its Vision Study conceptual EV in November. The concept looks like a futuristic Miata and features an alluring coupe design with butterfly doors. As with most conceptual designs, there’s always a possibility that EV makers incorporate a few of the elements into an actual production model.
KEEPING THAT MIATA MAGIC
Whether or not Mazda can stay true to the enduring design philosophy of the Miata is another question. If Mazda manages to design an all-electric sportscar that’s still lightweight and affordable, it could provide some real momentum for the automaker, which has been slow to adapt to EVs.
Similarly, an electric Miata would prove to be an affordable alternative to something like Tesla’s upcoming Roadster or the MG Cyberster. Mazda says it will debut the next-gen MX5 Miata with a 2026 model, meaning we could see an electric Miata as soon as 2025.
