14:58 15-11-2025

Mazda’s US-specific EV prototype spotted on Skyactiv platform

Mazda’s US-focused EV prototype spotted previews a Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture model with a likely 400V setup and production planned late this decade.

Mazda is finally making a serious move toward electric vehicles: a test mule for a future EV built specifically for the U.S. has been spotted in California. The prototype was photographed near the company’s American R&D center. The car combines a CX-90 body with a shortened rear section from the CX-60, a classic tactic for early development work. A key giveaway is the fully sealed front end, which points to an electric powertrain.

The model is expected to sit on the new Skyactiv EV Scalable Architecture. This platform targets mid-size crossovers and passenger EVs and is aimed at affordability, likely around a 400-volt setup. The production version is due toward the end of the decade, with manufacturing planned at a new plant in Japan.

Until now, Mazda has barely been present in the U.S. EV market after the MX-30 stumbled and was pulled from sale just two years in. The company now wants to change the narrative: by 2030, at least a quarter of its global sales should be electric. The upcoming model is meant to close a significant gap in the lineup and put Mazda back in contention with Tesla, BYD, and other segment leaders.