Mazda Motor Corporation traces its roots to 1920 as a cork and machine tool manufacturer before producing its first three-wheeled truck in 1931. The company became famous for its persistence with the rotary (Wankel) engine, which powered sports cars from the Cosmo Sport through the iconic RX-7 and RX-8.
Mazda’s current engineering philosophy — Skyactiv — focuses on maximising the efficiency of internal combustion rather than pursuing aggressive electrification. The Skyactiv-X engine, using spark-controlled compression ignition, was the first petrol engine to achieve compression ignition in series production.
Unlike many competitors, Mazda avoided major EV program losses by choosing not to commit large capital to dedicated EV platforms before the market was ready. In 2026 the company confirmed it was pushing its first dedicated BEV platform from 2027 to 2029 and cutting electrification investment roughly in half, while accelerating hybrid models. The Skyactiv-Z hybrid system is due in a new CX-5 in 2027, followed by three more hybrid models before 2030.
Mazda has a partnership with Changan Automobile for Chinese-market EVs (EZ-60 and EZ-6), providing a bridge to meet European demand during the transition.
