Mazda Motor Corporation announced its new technology and product development plans, which include the introduction of a dedicated EV platform—SKYACTIV EV Scalable Architecture—in 2025, which can be adapted for various vehicle sizes and body types.

Mazda has been continuously enhancing its internal combustion engines (SKYACTIV-X and new straight-six engines) and electrification technologies as part of the SKYACTIV Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture, which is used in transverse power units in Small Products and longitudinal power units in Large Products.

Based on this architecture, Mazda will deliver multiple electrification solutions to meet various customers’ needs, environmental regulations, and the specific electric power infrastructure of each market. The company plans to introduce 13 new electrified models by 2025 on this basis.

The SKYACTIV Multi-Solution Scalable Architecture products to be introduced mainly for the Japan, Europe, North America, China and ASEAN markets between 2022 and 2025 will consist of five hybrid models (excluding mild hybrid models, but including models equipped with Toyota Hybrid System (THS), supplied from Toyota); five plug-in hybrid models; and three EV models.

Several products based on the SKYACTIV Scalable EV Architecture will be introduced between 2025 and 2030.

Based on this plan, Mazda assumes that 100% of its products will have some level of electrification—and its EV ratio will be 25%—by 2030.

Autonomous driving. Mazda is now working on deploying its autonomous driving system. Mazda Co-Pilot monitors the driver’s condition at all times. If a sudden change in the driver’s physical condition is detected, Mazda Co-Pilot will: switch to autonomous driving, bring the car to a safe place, stop the vehicle, and place an emergency call. The first version, called Mazda Co-Pilot 1.0, is planned for Large Products beginning in 2022.

Connected services. Five Japanese OEM companies, including Mazda, will jointly develop standard engineering specifications of next-generation in-vehicle communication devices to push for a standardized communication system. Mazda is also developing a next-generation Electric/Electronic Architecture (EEA), which will enable speedy processing of data from inside and outside a vehicle.