Mazda Compares MX-30 Emissions to a Diesel Car
Following the debut of its all-electric MX-30 crossover this fall, Mazda has just made a controversial statement to defend the vehicle’s limited range.
Before going any further, we need to remind you that it’s not part of the company’s plans for North America yet. The MX-30 is aimed first and foremost at Europe, where stricter CO2 emission regulations come into effect in 2020.
- Also: Five Things to Know About the Mazda MX-30
- Also: Mazda MX-30 Becomes the First All-electric Mazda
The small 35.5-kWh battery under the floor provides a range of about 200 kilometres with a full charge, which is enough for the vast majority of European drivers, Mazda claims.
Christian Schultze, who heads the brand’s R&D centre over there, insists that the choice of a lower-capacity battery is better for the environment and that the one in the MX-30 has total CO2 emissions comparable with a diesel-powered Mazda3, as shown in the graph below:
Speaking to Automotive News, Schultze added that a longer-range battery rated at 95 kWh, for instance, would have substantially higher CO2 emissions from its first day. The MX-30 would therefore lose its advantage over a combustion model.
Mazda’s calculations are specific to Europe, but a conservative study from the International Council on Clean Transportation tells a different story: “An electric vehicle’s higher emissions during the manufacturing stage are paid off after only two years compared to driving an average conventional vehicle, a time frame that drops to about one and a half years if the car is charged using renewable energy.”
For those who require cars that can provide a longer range, Mazda says it will later offer a rotary engine-based generator for the battery, though it fails to mention how much emissions would be affected.
In Canada and other global markets, the MX-30 remains in a study phase. If it doesn’t come here, another electric vehicle with larger dimensions and a higher-capacity battery is expected to replace it, but we will have to wait until at least 2025.