Mazda Motor Corporation unveiled its first mass-production electric vehicle—the Mazda MX-30—at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. The model adopts Mazda’s new e–Skyactiv system (motor, battery pack, inverter, and DC-DC converter), with a 35.5 kWh Li-ion battery pack.





The motor, inverter, DC-DC converter and junction box are integrated into a single high-voltage unit that is mounted toward the front of the car. The size of the high-voltage battery mounted beneath the floor was carefully chosen to minimize CO 2 emissions throughout its life cycle, from resource extraction through to battery disposal.

To limit the height of the battery pack, it uses a high-density battery module and thin busbar wiring as part of a scheme that minimizes the size of wiring between high-voltage parts, as well as a thin cooling system. As a result, it minimizes the impact on interior space and helps secure roomy comfort in the cabin.

As an additional measure, the battery case is joined to the body to effectively help increase overall rigidity. The normal and fast charging ports are packaged as a set that is accessed from the right rear fender, with the onboard AC charger positioned in the luggage area.





Another feature is a control scheme that minimizes energy loss throughout the system, including loss from the inverter, the motor and in converting battery power into drive power. This combines with harmonious control between the system and the vehicle that reduces power consumption to maximize the amount of energy that goes directly toward powering the MX-30.

A new addition to Mazda’s car lineup, the MX-30 is the automaker’s third new-generation model. Spaces in and around the center console give the cabin an open feel, and environmentally conscious materials such as cork and fabrics made from recycled materials are used in ways that bring out their natural appeal, creating a comfortable interior space.

In addition, the MX-30 adopts freestyle doors so customers can invent new and creative ways of using the car. Custom-designed hinges that allow the front doors to open to 82° and rear doors to open to 80°.





Despite the center-pillar-less freestyle door system, excellent collision safety performance is achieved through a rigid body and structures that efficiently absorb crash energy.

Electric G-Vectoring Control Plus (E-GVC PLUS). In the MX-30, Mazda’s G-Vectoring Control (GVC), which uses the powertrain to improve chassis performance, has evolved into e-GVC Plus, which leverages the torque characteristics of the electric motor to optimize the front-rear load shift under an even wider range of usage scenarios.

In every speed range, the system achieves smooth and seamless transitions between longitudinal and latitudinal G-forces, whether the driver is making steering corrections on a straight roads or cornering. This provides vehicular behavior that always feels natural and pleasing.

e-GVC Plus provides fine control over motor torque in response to the driver’s steering wheel operations. When the driver turns the steering wheel to enter a corner, the system reduces torque slightly to instigate load transfer to the front and assume a smooth turning posture.

When the driver starts to return the steering wheel to its original (neutral) position as the car begins to exit the corner, torque is increased slightly to shift the load to the rear and stabilize vehicle behavior. This also helps assist in quickly returning to straight-line travel.

If the driver quickly returns the steering wheel to the neutral position, brake moment control that settles cornering behavior operates in cooperation. As a result, it greatly improves stability when driving on mountain roads, highways and slippery surfaces.

Motor pedal. The motor pedal for e-Skyactiv uses Mazda’s own electric motor torque control system to realize the desired vehicle speed and posture control based on the driver’s intended amount of acceleration or deceleration.

It seamlessly connects forward and reverse torque and supports smooth fore-aft G-force control. Closely monitoring the stroke as well as the speed of the driver’s pedal action enables the pedal to meet the expectations of the driver in responding with linear application of G force. Gradual torque transition makes it easy to maintain vehicle speed when the driver operates the pedal slowly.

In contrast, it interprets quick pedal operation as an indication that the driver wishes to accelerate and responds quickly by providing powerful acceleration. Following a similar scheme when lifting the foot from the pedal, the system monitors the speed with which the driver operates the pedal and controls the response of deceleration G force accordingly.

Power unit mounts and other measures to increase the rigidity of the torque transmission system realize smooth and stable vehicle behavior, even as the motor torque changes from generating drive power to generating braking force.

In addition, cooperative control over deceleration by the motor and brakes as the brake pedal is operated allows kinetic energy to be recovered and electricity regenerated without waste. Seamlessly connecting deceleration force as the driver moves his or her foot from the motor pedal and starts to press the brake pedal provides greater control over the front-rear load shift when stopping, maintaining a safe distance between the MX-30 and other vehicles, or when cornering.

Even though an EV produces no engine sound, Mazda’s e-Skyactiv provides aural feedback to the driver that enables him or her to subconsciously recognize the torque status of the power unit and thus control vehicle speed with greater precision.

For example, when people hear the sound of a river flowing, they can imagine the amount of water and speed at which it is flowing based solely on the sound frequency and sound pressure. Mazda takes advantage of this human characteristic by actively controlling the sound through the audio system in a way that sounds natural and pleasing to the driver’s ears. Synchronizing the sound to perfectly match the motor torque makes it possible to supply the driver with feedback that precisely reflects the driving conditions and helps realize the control needed to satisfy the driver’s intentions.

Braking performance. Mazda’s ideal for braking performance is to have braking force build gently starting the instant the driver touches the brake pedal and then maintain a consistent strength level. Braking force should also drop off smoothly when gently lifting one’s foot from the pedal. Developed according to this same philosophy, the MX-30’s braking system reduces rolling resistance while increasing control. The resulting vehicle behavior enables cabin occupants to maximize their innate ability to maintain balance and enjoy a comfortable driving experience.

i-Activsense and safety. The MX-30 further evolves i-Activsense. One such evolution to the injury- and damage-mitigating brake system adds Turn-Across Traffic functionality to the existing Smart Brake Support (SBS) system to help prevent collisions when turning across traffic at intersections.

When turning left at an intersection, (on left-hand drive units), the forward-sensing camera and milliwave radar sensors monitor oncoming traffic. When the system determines there to be a chance of a collision occurring, it automatically applies the brakes to help prevent impact or mitigate damage that may occur. The function only operates at low speeds and is programmed to monitor nearby vehicles.

The MX-30 also introduces new technologies, including Road Keep Assist, which helps keep the car on the right track even in the absence of lane markings and Emergency Lane Keeping with Blind Spot Assist, which helps prevent collisions when changing lanes.

The system uses 24GHz milliwave radar sensors to monitor the areas behind and to the sides of the car when travelling at speeds of 60km/h or greater. If the driver steers to change lanes when there is a threat of colliding with a vehicle approaching from the rear, the system assists steering operations to help prevent impact or mitigate damage that may occur.

Adding these to the various safety technologies Mazda has developed and implemented to date expands coverage to apply to a wider range of driving scenes.

On the passive safety front, despite the MX-30 adopting Mazda’s center-pillar-less Freestyle door system, rigid body and structures that efficiently absorb crash energy achieve a high level of collision safety performance.

The MX-30’s center-pillar-less design incorporates a process by which hot-stamped material is first attached to the multifaceted reinforcing material before both are formed together into the A-pillar and roof side shapes.

Extensive use of 1,310 MPa-class and other ultra-high-tensile steel combines with efficient energy-absorbing structures throughout. In addition, aiming to combine high-level collision safety with the Freestyle door system, hot-stamped vertical reinforcements are positioned inside the rear doors.

The result is a structure that firmly receives impact energy from side collisions and effectively diffuses it out toward the body opening. Reinforcing of the front and rear hinges, as well as the side sills, has realized body strength and energy-absorbing efficiency on par with cars that have center pillars.

The MX-30 also adopts a safety system that shuts down the flow of power the instant a collision is detected. In addition, the battery packs are covered with high-strength material and surrounded by a rigid frame. This design offers the batteries solid protection, which in turn protects cabin occupants from potential secondary injuries caused by exposure to high-voltage power.