Mazda is one of the few automakers left that doesn’t offer an electrified model in its lineup and it looks like that isn’t going to change anytime soon. While its rivals are putting lots of energy into new electric cars, Mazda doesn’t feel that EVs are the only answer to cutting emissions.
Robert Davis, Mazda’s senior vice president for special assignments in North America doesn’t buy all the hype around electric cars and believes that the “impending death of the internal combustion engine is overrated.”
“Take the $7,500 EV credit off the table? At the same time, you take the EV mandate off the table,” Davis recently stated. “Let the government keep the $7,500 and let the industry find the best way to meet the clean air standard. Make it CO2, make it grams per mile, fuel economy — whatever feels best. But don’t mandate the particular powertrain.”
Although Mazda doesn’t have any electrified powertrains in its lineup, it has been working hard to improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions with its Skyactiv technologies. Mazda has also already confirmed plans to introduce the new diesel-powered CX-5.
“The internal combustion engine has a strong future role in transportation.”
Davis also raised concerns about the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles, since they can’t be recycled as easily as a cell phone battery.
“We’re all better than this. We can do better than this. We need to consider that this is not zero emissions. This is remote emissions, or displaced emissions. We need to work on the best solution for the customers and for the environment in a common target, not an instruction manual on how to get there.”
Source: Automotive News
