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ラベル Mazda マツダ の投稿を表示しています。 すべての投稿を表示
ラベル Mazda マツダ の投稿を表示しています。 すべての投稿を表示

2020年5月22日

Thoughts about EVs and options under £30k

At first, my reaction towards the new automotive era was no thanks, just give me a V8, or even better a V12. However, no-one can deny that electric cars is the future. And the future is not just a change in powertrain technology, it's also about sustainability and solving transportation problems, thus car sharing, autonomous driving and energy management are the things to follow.

EVs have additionally a benefit in terms of reliability, as electric motors are not just much more efficient, but also simpler and thus more reliable. However, battery technology is not up to speed at the moment. The analysis results of existing electric cars in use are encouraging in terms of battery durability and some manufacturers dare to offer even 10 years/1,000,000km warranty! I was recently reading an article about Nissan Leaf patrol cars in UK that are in service since 2016, and the only maintenance they have required so far was just replacing once the front brake pads. 

It is true also that EVs bring benefits to manufacturers at the moment as well, as by dropping the CO2 emission levels in their line up, they have to pay less money to the EU. On the other hand, manufacturers still make most of money from each vehicle when that is equipped with an internal combustion engine.

Main constraints at the moment include battery cost (will need to drop below $100/kWh), weight, and of course fast charging. Another issue is the way to charge, as in many cases, especially if you live in an apartment with off street parking, charging your car when home is not really feasible... Even charging connectors are not standardised so far and thus there are over 5 different types.

Software is another aspect of modern vehicles that must be right and it's becoming even more important with EVs. As more and more functionality is being added, and the more autonomous kind of assistance is being introduced, good software is vital. Even basic things like correct battery charge management depends on software, thus having an impact not only on the experience, but also on the reliability of the vehicle.

And now perhaps the most critical issue. Driving range. If we consider that 18-20kWh are required to cover 100km, and the battery weight is around 0.15kWh/kg, you can easily understand that for covering 500km, the batteries will need to weight around 700kg! On the other hand, if we want to drive an EV, not just for the low cost and maintenance, but also as it is a solution for sustainability, using a huge powerpack is not the solution, as the bigger the batteries, the more CO2 emissions produced during production. For the future, fuel cell vehicles will likely be the solution for covering long distances, but having the appropriate infrastructure is more challenging than pure EVs.

Another drawback at the moment is the price tag for purchasing an EV. Most of the available models are over £40k (e.g. Tesla Model 3 with 254 mile range) and offerings from Audi, Jaguar etc start from over £60k. I did some basic calculations for my family, as soon we will need to buy a second car and we were considering a used car around £2,500. If though we buy an EV and use it as the main car for my daily commute, and the existing one as the second one, in six years time, an EV would break even if the tag price is £30k.

A 35-50kWh powerpack seems to be therefore the sweet spot based on the current battery technology, weight and vehicle price. Three cars have caught my attention as a result, Lexus UX300e, Honda e and Mazda MX-30. The first one will undoubtedly cost over £30k, but for sure it's going to have better build quality and a warranty to beat. So, in my case, this means that most suitable will be either the Honda, or the Mazda.








The Honda e looks amazing, combining retro looks, reminding me the N360, high tech inside, along with some really nice touches like the wood like trim. I am not sure if all those screens will be easy on the eyes, especially during night driving, but this car definitely gives you the feeling that this is the future. I am so glad that Honda decided to produce it, as it is a company that is innovative and it was about time to bring something out of the ordinary in the market. On the plus side is also that the rear wheels are driven and both axles are pushed towards the ends ensuring that it is going to be a fun little car.







Next is the Mazda MX-30. It makes more sense if you have a family, looks very good too and promises to drive well. Inside it looks more analogue and closer to what we have been used to. One disappointing thing is that the infotainment is using an 8.8" screen and it has a rotary selector for operating it, which seems a bit odd. For sure in terms of ergonomics, when driving, it is more convenient, but I would expect a touchscreen. When starting your journey and want to enter an address, having a keyboard is way more practical and honestly I cannot understand why they didn't include a touchscreen as well. Oh, Soul Crystal Red is another positive, as this colour looks simply fantastic. However, I have come across with complaints regarding excessive chipping and it's really a shame. I tried to find if there is any mention that Mazda has managed to resolve the issue (it has been reported mainly for 2017 and 2018 models), but haven't managed to find anything.

As soon as the lockdown is over and a test drive is available, I will take both of them for a spin and share my initial impressions :-)

2017年8月31日

Mazda Savanna (S124A) by ignition model



It has been really a long time since the last ignition model arrived from Japan, so it is very exciting to have this 1/43 Mazda Savanna (S124A) model in red added to my collection. The model has lowered suspension, Watanabe 14" wheels (bronze), front lip & rear spoiler!

2016年12月29日

Mazda Savanna RX-7 (FC3S) by ignition model








Last model received for the year is this amazing Mazda Savanna RX-7 (FC3S) by ignition model in yellow colour!!! The model has lowered suspension, 16" wheels, aero mirrors, large-diameter mufflers and Recaro seats, and it does look the part when sitting next to my RX-7 (FD3S) ignition model!

2013年2月10日

Mazda MX-5 successor rendering

This is the latest rendering of the MX-5 successor coming from Best Car and according to the article, power is going to come from an 1.4-liter petrol engine. 

2012年1月22日

Next-gen Mazda MX-5 rendering

Over the time, renderings of the upcoming Mazda MX-5 (earlier post) have been published and although this particular one is neither coning from Japan, nor is the latest one, I found it quite interesting.

2011年8月22日

Farewell Mazda RX-8!

Production of the RX-8 stopped in early July while the remaining inventory will be sold by the end of this year. The reasons behind Mazda's decision are related to the more strict EU emission standards which the RX-8 couldn't meet. Last year, Mazda managed to deliver just 1,134 units, a 49% decrease compared to 2009, while sales in the first half of 2011 decreased by a further 21%.

2011年7月16日

Yet another rendering of new Mazda MX-5 comes from Japan

This is the latest rendering of the MX-5 successor coming from Japan. This rendering, published by BC, looks much better that the other ones I have came across. Expect the new model to be launched next year.

2011年3月1日

Mazda Minagi Concept officially revealed at Geneva

Mazda has presented the Minagi Concept at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show and this is a clear indication of how the new CX-5 will look like. This is going to be one of the first models to be equipped with the SKYACTIV powertrains and of course, the ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ design language is evident. The Shinari Concept is also on display.

2011年2月11日

More speculation about MX-5 successor

Mazda is a company that I admire and I really look forward for the new MX-5 to come. The MX-5 successor (earlier post), according to the latest report coming from Japan, will be powered by a 1.5L SKYACTIV G engine with a power output of 150 PS and maximum torque of 16.0 kgm. An estimated fuel efficiency of 20.0 km/L (!) is claimed. In terms of how big is going to be, total length is expected to be 3,990 mm, width 1,695 mm and height 1,245 mm. The wheelbase should be 2,330 mm. The new MX-5 is expected to be launched in August 2012.

[Source: IMP-X's blog]

2011年1月29日

Nissan to sell Mazda 5 (プレマシー) variant in Japan

In many occasions, there are agreements between Japanese manufacturers for selling rebadged versions in Japan, but this time I think it's a bit bizarre. There was an announcement yesterday that Nissan will sell its own version of Mazda's 5 model (aka Premacy プレマシー). Although Nissan claims that its version will be clearly differentiated, I am really curious to see what will happen to the Nagare-inspired waves that stretch across Mazda's 5 side...

2011年1月24日

Mazda to lease new EV in spring 2012

Mazda announced today that it is independently developing an EV with plans to commence leasing in Japan in spring 2012. The new EV, based on its Demio subcompact, is expected to have a driving range of 200 kilometers and will be leased mainly to local government bodies and fleet customers.

2011年1月21日

RX-8 successor likely to hit the markets in 2014

Latest rumours coming from Japan suggest that the RX-8 successor, which is very likely to be called RX-9, is going into production in 2014. As already posted, the 16X Wankel engine under development is 30% more fuel efficient that the RX-8's engine and expect it to produce around 300 ps.

2011年1月18日

Mazda to unveil Minagi concept at Geneva previewing CX-5

A couple of Mazda sketches have leaked prior the intended release date, January 19, showing an SUV concept due to be presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The concept is called Minagi and it previews the upcoming CX-5 (earlier post). Although we don't know when it goes on sale, expect the production version to be shown at the IAA in September.

2011年1月12日

Mazda RX-7 (SA22C, FC3S & FD3S) scale models arrived!

Next are the Mazda RX-7 models, including the Savanna RX-7 (SA22C) Limited 1979, the Savanna RX-7 (FC3S) Infini (earlier post) and the RX-7 (FD3S) Type R Bathurst X 1995  (earlier post) models. All of them are made by Kyosho and to be honest, I believe Ebbro is slightly better in terms of detail. However, the Kyosho 1/43 scale models with opening parts are very impressive...

More photos after the jump!

2011年1月3日

Live photos of SKYACTIV components

Back in October 2010, Mazda released details about its next-gen powertrain technologies, called SKYACTIV (earlier post). Although nothing new has been published, I came across with some live photos showing the new SKYACTIV components, or at least some of them, which I found interesting.

[Source: Response]