Mazda considering additional Chinese EVs

MAZDA Australia is set to rely even more heavily than expected on its Chinese-built battery electric (BEV) models than it anticipated at the start of 2026 as the Japanese brand’s headquarters works with Changan on third and fourth models to complement the new 6e and CX-6e BEVs launching now in Australia.

While an expansion of Mazda’s Chinese-made BEV range is widely expected to occur in 2027 or 2028, the importance of the 6e and CX-6e – which will compete respectively in the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y segments – has been suddenly elevated by sustained BEV demand growth in Australia. 

Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi said the fuel supply crisis, which has persisted since the Strait of Hormuz crisis began in February this year, had triggered significantly stronger demand for BEVs and had required Mazda Australia to recalibrate its planning.

“Consumers have started to accept EV as a viable option in their lifestyle,” he said.

“It’s unfortunate it probably took fuel supply and fuel price (increases), because there is a bigger impact on the economy … but that’s the kind of shock-and-awe that (into) consumers’ minds that (they) need to seriously consider (BEV).

“We think our two BEV cars will play a bigger role as we move forward than we probably planned eight months ago,” said Mr Bhindi, who added that the scale of the tax advantages available to novated leasing customers by way of the Fringe Benefits Tax (FBT) waiver had become clearer to more people.

“Our 20-year partnership with Changan Automotive in Nanjing is a strong partnership. We have started talking about what other opportunities could be there.”

Asked directly whether Mazda Australia will rely more heavily on Changan for its BEV products while its in-house BEV development program continues in the background, Mr Bhindi said, “Absolutely”.

Mr Bhindi said prolonged fuel supply uncertainty, leading to expensive petrol and diesel at the bowser, had prompted some fence-sitters to consider BEVs, but he cautioned that access to charging, travel distances and individual circumstances meant combustion engines still had a clear market.

In August 2026, BEVs accounted for 24.9 per cent of Australian new vehicle registrations, while September has seen petrol and diesel prices skyrocket due to renewed conflict in the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, resulting in further damage to oil refinement and transport infrastructure.

Beyond a desire to be able to supply a BEV sedan and SUV to customers who want a break from volatile liquid fuel prices, Mazda Australia needs the 6e and CX-6e to make a very significant contribution to the brand’s total sales next year in order to ward off penalties under the New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES).

To that end, the 6e kicks off at $49,990 plus on-road costs, with the sedan recording 693 registrations as sales commenced between July and August. The CX-6e (from $53,990 + ORCs) is expected to naturally be the stronger seller due to its crossover shape.

While Mazda achieved 91,923 deliveries in 2025, its January-August 2026 volume of 53,163 has represented a dip of 15.9 per cent year-on-year. The arrival of sharply priced be models is likely to help the brand establish a new source of demand.

Mr Bhindi sought to distinguish Changan Mazda vehicles from products sold by Changan’s Deepal brand in Australia, which is distributed here by Inchcape.

The Mazda boss described the Nanjing production site that builds the 6e and CX-6e as comprising a fully-fledged Mazda factory within the partnership that uses Mazda systems and processes to assemble the Changan-based models.

Mazda’s Frankfurt-based European development team has led the ride and handling work for both models, with Australian testing also carried out.

“We’ve put a lot of effort in (and) we will continue to do that to make sure (Chinese-built Mazda) models are different … there are more opportunities to keep doing that,” continued Mr Bhindi.

Likely targets for the mulled expansion of Mazda’s Changan-sourced range include a smaller fully electric SUV than the 4800mm long CX-6e.

Changan already builds its own Deepal S05 BEV model, that is around 200mm shorter than a CX-6e, in right-hand drive for export, though a Mazda version would require extensive design, tuning and production resources.

A three-row Mazda electric SUV would address a different opportunity.

While Mazda sells a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of its three-row CX-70 model, Tesla has recently added a six-seat Model YL to its local lineup to provide an option to BEV owners upgrading out of a two-row SUV model.

But Changan doesn’t have a clear option available for adaptation by Mazda, yet. The conglomerate’s Deepal S09 model is a six-seat three-row SUV, but it uses a petrol range-extender powertrain rather than a BEV system that would give Mazda a superior NVES outcome.

Additional BEVs, which officially record zero emissions under NVES rules, would be of the most benefit to Mazda, which needs to cut fleet-average CO2 emissions aggressively to avoid incurring future penalties.

That is particularly the case given the company’s decision to continue relying on diesel power for the BT-50 ute into the future.

Mr Bhindi confirmed that Mazda Australia had no interest in adding a lifestyle-focussed hybrid or electric ute to its lineup to sit alongside the BT-50. Deepal does in fact build such a vehicle in the SUV-ute E07 Multitruck crossover, which is sold in Australia.