Last week, Mazda unveiled a hybrid version of the Mazda 2 hatchback for Europe, with a “self-charging” feature.
Confused? What the Mazda 2 Hybrid has is an application of Toyota’s familiar hybrid system, as offered in the closely related Yaris Hybrid — neither of which is offered in the US.
The “self-charging” descriptor can be misleading on many levels, and this is not a new problem. First, it’s like a nod to Tesla’s controversial “fully self-driving” suite of driver-assistance features. Second, it’s a marketing tactic Toyota and Lexus have tried in Europe and across the region, to scorn from electric vehicle fans and consumer groups.
Also, the term could potentially make it look like companies are selling some kind of perpetual motion machine, or it involves solar cells or inductive charging, which is not true. Even savvy shoppers have to do it twice and wonder what they’re missing compared to the typical full hybrid technology, which Toyota has offered for more than 20 years.
Self-charging hybrid Lexus NX – Norwegian consumer website – January 2020
At the end of 2019, National consumer regulator in Norway knowledgeable about EV joined Lexus campaigns using similar language and found it misleading that affiliate marketing essentially depicts electricity as free, when it costs money – at the gas pump. After modifying its language to remove that, Lexus continued to use “Self-Charging Combination” featured on UK and European websites, but in US it seems to have stopped working Slogan “always charged” it is already in use — perhaps with the pending arrival of NX 450h plug-in hybrid.
In this case, the Mazda 2 combines a 1.5-liter inline-three petrol engine, with a 79 hp (59 kw) electric motor as part of Toyota’s planetary-based hybrid system, to generate a total power output. 114 horsepower capacity.
Mazda 2 Hybrid (Euro specs)
“Battery power levels are managed continuously through an engine-powered alternator to eliminate any need to recharge the system from an external source,” Mazda added in the release. , cleverly avoid mentioning free electricity.
While we know plug-in vehicles are desirable, we hope Mazda, Lexus or others never bring this product to the US. Find out the difference between three types of “electrified” vehicles — hybrids, plug-in hybrids, and battery-powered electric vehicles. In a recent presentation, Michael Tripp, Toyota North America VP of Marketing and Communications, consulted his own 2021 BEV Perception Survey, which found that 75% of customers think a plug-in hybrid or Not sure – enough of a challenge like it positioning its Prime plug-in hybrids alongside other hybrids.
2023 Mazda CX-50
All of these self-charged messages are currently focused on Europe. In recognition of its merits, Mazda in the US has explicitly called its vehicles — the upcoming MX-30, for example, “a plug-in hybrid with a rotary alternator.” Mazda has hybrids coming to the US soon, including a hybrid version of the car CX-50 is on the road. Let’s hope they choose to save the charging conversation for cars that need to be plugged in.
