Mazda MX-30 rotary range-extender axed in Europe after two years on sale – report
Mazda’s first rotary-engined production car since the 2012 RX-8 – the MX-30 R-EV – has been axed in Europe, but it will remain available in Japan.
The rotary-engined Mazda MX-30 range-extender electric vehicle has been discontinued in Europe after just two years on sale.
According to an Autocar report, a Mazda spokesperson said the MX-30 R-EV – launched in 2024 – has been axed for a “combination of reasons”, such as “consumer trends” and “production priorities”.
The decision to stop selling the MX-30 R-EV follows its fully electric sibling, which was recently axed in Europe after the company stopped selling it in Australia and the US nearly three years ago.
The MX-30 will remain on sale in Japan, where it is offered as a mild-hybrid and a rotary range-extender, but no longer with electric power.
MORE: High price not to blame for death of Mazda MX-30 electric car, company claims
Autocar reports 678 examples of the MX-30 R-EV have been sold in the UK since 2024.
The MX-30 R-EV is the first rotary-engined Mazda production car since the 2012 RX-8, with a lineage dating back to the 1967 Cosmo Sport.
In the MX-30, its 830cc ‘e-Skyactiv-R’ single-rotor engine was used as a generator for its plug-in hybrid system, with its front wheels always driven by a 125kW/260Nm electric motor.
In the UK, the MX-30 R-EV cost £32,505 (AU$65,000) prior to its discontinuation, similar to the cost of the fully electric version, which retailed for $66,560 before on-road costs in Australia in 2023.
MORE: Mazda’s first in-house electric car delayed – report
Mazda remains committed to rotary power, with recent concepts – the 2023 Iconic SP and 2025 Vision X-Coupe – featuring rotary-engined hybrid systems.
In Europe – and soon Australia – Mazda has launched its fully electric 6e sedan, while the CX-6e electric SUV is due to join the range in both markets later this year.
The 6e and CX-6e electric models have been derived from Changan Automobile, Mazda’s joint-venture partner in China.
Mazda’s first in-house electric vehicle developed from the ground up, rather than being based on a petrol car or derived from a Chinese partner, has been delayed until 2028 “at the earliest”.
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