The Future Is Electrified For Mazda MX-5 Miata, Hybrid eFuel Model In The Works

[Laconian]

Bah. The purists are often teenagers with lots of energy but no responsibilities and no money. Let them dream. Once they start a family, get a mortgage, have one or two mouths to feed, and a finite amount of money to fund it all, then it's only logical that they buy boring two-box CUVs instead.

I doubt the MX-5 would be sold with EV and ICE options side by side. Just like an EV built on ICE bones is usually kind of crap, I imagine that the inverse must also be true.

[cawimmer430]

In my opinion the Miata is a specialist vehicle with a large number of purist and driving enthusiastic buyers. Forget the hairdressers for a change, who no doubt buy them to. This is a car with a clear purpose and assigned driving character which will completely disappear if it goes the electric route.

An EV Miata will be limited to having a smaller battery by the nature of the car's compact dimensions. What's the point of such car? A few kick downs and some zippy driving around your area and bam, the battery is dangerously low on juice. Have fun finding a moderately fast charging station and waiting for 50 minutes until the thing has an around 80% charge.

[12,000 RPM]

Really? The Miata hairdresser trope?

Bah. The purists are often teenagers with lots of energy but no responsibilities and no money. Let them dream. Once they start a family, get a mortgage, have one or two mouths to feed, and a finite amount of money to fund it all, then it's only logical that they buy boring two-box CUVs instead.

I doubt the MX-5 would be sold with EV and ICE options side by side. Just like an EV built on ICE bones is usually kind of crap, I imagine that the inverse must also be true.

I think it's possible to reconcile purity with pragmatism. In fact that is what makes the continued existence of the Miata so impressive to me. Anyone can make a hypercar with an unlimited budget/price point. Bringing something like the Miata to market takes a lot of ingenuity and discipline. So whether it's an EV or not is kind of irrelevant to me. I know Mazda will do it right regardless of what powers it, so I'm not worried.

[AutobahnSHO]

Business wise purists have shown they don't matter. They didn't save natural aspiration. They didn't save manuals. They didn't save coupes and convertibles. They didn't save "quirky" cars or brands like SAAB. Etc. The only thing automakers have to lose is the favor of extremely opinionated people who were never going to buy their cars in the first place. As soon as you start saying "hey well why didnt you buy XYZ when it was new" the excuses start pouring out. Frankly I'm tired of it

+1

I love the auto magazines and the "purity" of life, but the public goes where the public goes.

If Purists had their way, we'd still be trimming chokes and cranking cars over by hand.

[AutobahnSHO]

1- hairdressers don't drive Miatas, it would mess up their hair.

2- If they got it to a 100mile range it would be a great commuter/ fun car. For the most part people don't use Miatas for buying a months' worth of groceries, or long distance trips. They're for the track, commuting, joy riding.

Track usage by regular people is probably going down anyway. Joy riding and commuting require about a 100mile range, totally doable with smart packaging.

[cawimmer430]

Really? The Miata hairdresser trope?

Women who buy the car because they think it's cute, but don't "drive" it for pleasure. But you get my gist (hopefully).

[Laconian]

I don't know if that is a thing anymore.. that crowd seems to have moved onto late model luxury cars instead of buying new.

[cawimmer430]

I don't know if that is a thing anymore.. that crowd seems to have moved onto late model luxury cars instead of buying new.

After 2022 you're better off buying a used car, at least here in Europe. In 2022 the EU forces all new cars to come with a bunch of safety nanny and surveillance systems which you have to turn off every time you start the car (such as the automatic speed-limiting system). They really want to take the fun out of driving.

[ChrisV]

I love the idea of a Miata EV. I'd love my MINI Cooper Roadster with my Bolt's drivetrain, and maybe a smaller 50kWh battery for a 180-200 mile range instead of a 66kWh battery that delivers the 250-300 mile range. That would make it a little lighter and in a car like the Cooper or a Miata, could be kept under 3000 lbs easily. With a low CG it'd handle great and the instantly delivered torque out of corners would get addicting real fast, like it does with other EVs (even the Bolt). 200 hp and 266 lb ft of torque would be perfect in a Miata/MINI sized convertible!

Some talk about a skateboard chassis making the car taller, but Tesla S and 3 have a battery under the floor and are not very tall compared to their competition...