Mazda’s quirky MX-30 electric SUV can now charge up in under 30 minutes.
The Mazda MX-30, one of the most unusual EVs on the current market, has been given a range of updates for 2022. The updates will be rolled out in Europe this year, but Mazda Australia has not announced if the changes will be applied locally.
Perhaps the most important change involves the charging system – it can now accept a 50kW DC charge, up from a modest 40kW. This brings the MX-30 into line with the Nissan Leaf while cutting the time it takes to charge the battery from 20 to 80 per cent by 10 minutes to 26 minutes.
Also fettled is the ‘EV sound’ system, which provides the driver with audible feedback tied in with throttle usage. For the 2022 car Mazda says it’s optimised the noise so that it is “more aligned with other sounds heard when the car is running, such as wind or road noise – so the driver can recognise the amount of power in a natural manner without the sound being unusual”.
The powertrain is otherwise unchanged. The MX-30 uses a 35.5kWh battery pack and a single, front axle-mounted motor providing 107kW and 271Nm of torque. The range remains at 200km.
Mazda has also added a number of new trim and colour options for the MX-30, plus enhanced the specification. In Australia, the MX-30 is offered in just one specificaiton.
As before, the MX-30 gets its trademark, backwards-hinged ‘suicide’ rear doors, while inside you’ll find a two-screen set-up for the centre console. This involves a seven-inch lower screen for the climate control functions, with an 8.8-inch screen nearer the top of the dashboard on infotainment duties. As before, cork trim features, in reference to Mazda’s founding in 1920 as the Toyo Kogyo Cork Company.
Matt Robinson