Mazda chief executive Masamichi Kogai has said that the Japanese car manufacturer will not aim to develop electric cars, and will instead focus on refining its combustion engine technology.

The company has been going against the grain for several years now, eschewing the downsized turbocharged engines other manufacturers have adopted in favour of more traditional options.

It’s justified this by saying that while small turbo engines might deliver lower emissions and consumption figures under test conditions, they rarely reflect this in real life.

Sporty cars with focus on driver pleasure

However, with the increased uptake of electric and hybrid technologies by other carmakers, some started to question how Mazda could survive in the coming decades by sticking to its guns.

Mr Kogai spoke at the company’s headquarters in Hiroshima and likened Mazda’s resoluteness to the strength of its factory site, which survived the Hiroshima bomb in 1945.

“We are not Toyota, Nissan or Volkswagen who need to cover everything,” he explained, stating that Mazda will continue to build sporty cars with a focus on driving engagement.

Hybrids not the way forward for Mazda

He added that Mazda’s lightweight SkyActiv engines have improved the manufacturer’s fuel economy average by 26 per cent in the last six years without resorting to turbocharging or hybridisation.

Mr Kogai also rejected notions that Mazda could share hydrogen technology with Toyota, and likewise said that autonomous driving would not be a priority for the company.

“Our cars are human-centric so people will be driving them,” he said. “Driving can lift spirits, relieve stress and stimulate the brain. That’s the kind of cars that make sense for Mazda to make and that’s our role.”

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