Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
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EV Charging Cables: A Guide For Ireland
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How Much Does It Cost To Charge An Electric Car At Home: The Complete Guide For Ireland
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The Mazda CX-60 PHEV SUV
The Mazda Motor Corporation, more commonly known simply as Mazda, is a leading Japanese automotive manufacturer, with business activities across a number of key international markets. Mazda was founded in 1920, initially as a cork-making factory (Toyo Cork Kogyo Co, Ltd.). The company started manufacturing vehicles in 1931. The ‘Mazda-go’, a tricycle truck, was the first vehicle to be manufactured by the company. Mazda derives its name from ‘Ahura Mazda’, the God of harmony, intelligence and wisdom.
Mazda has conducted research on alternative fuel vehicles for many decades. The company has had a particular focus on hydrogen-powered vehicles. The Mazda electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:
- All-electric Mazda MX-30
- Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid
- Mazda CX-80 plug-in hybrid
- Mazda MX-30 R-EV plug-in hybrid
It has taken the Japanese automotive manufacturer longer than its rivals to introduce its first plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV), but the wait could have been worthwhile. The Mazda CX-60 PHEV family SUV has been positioned to compete with premium brands like the Audi Q5 and BMW X3. Apart from being the first PHEV for Mazda, the CX-60 is also its most powerful production car to date.
The Mazda plug-in hybrid SUV has a 17.8 kWh onboard EV battery, with a WLTP certified zero-emission electric range up to 60 km. A decent pure electric range, but not class-leading. Some of the latest PHEV’s now offer an EV range above 80 km on a single charge.
Adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the CX-60 plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) should comfortably deliver an emission-free pure electric range over 50 km, useful for city and shorter distance motorway driving! For those new to electric driving, it is worth noting that many factors influence the real-world electric car range. Some of these include: driving style, temperature, elevation, wind, rain, road surface, tyre size, onboard services used etc.
Do keep in mind that driving on the pure electric mode helps reduce the cost of motoring and improve the overall efficiency of the vehicle. Depending on the cost of charging, expect a driving cost between 5 cents and 10 cents per km, when driven on the e-mode. This is substantially cheaper than driving using the petrol internal combustion engine (ICE).
Mazda claims the CX-60 plug-in can deliver a fuel economy up to 1.5 l/100km. Though a better fuel economy compared to a conventional petrol car, the CX-60 is not as efficient as some of the newer plug-in hybrids introduced by its competitors.
In any case, like the real-world electric range, the real-world fuel economy will be less efficient than the manufacturer claimed data. Nevertheless, leveraging the pure electric mode on a regular basis is a must in taking advantage of the benefits of electric driving, to include better fuel economy!
Taking advantage of the EV range will also require inculcating a habit of charging the EV on a regular basis, which is as easy as charging a smartphone. We at e-zoomed discourage the use of a domestic 3-PIN plug for charging an electric car. A ‘topping up’ approach to charging will help improve the overall efficiency of the electric vehicle and also improve the long-term maintenance of the onboard EV battery. Mazda offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty.
Despite the price tag, it is disappointing to note that the CX-60 PHEV does not offer DC charging. The EV has a 7.2 kW onboard charger. The Mazda electric vehicle can be charged 0% to 100% via a dedicated EV charging station in 2 hours and 20 minutes. If you insist on using a domestic socket for charging, the EV will take up to 4 hours and 50 minutes to fully charge.
The all-wheel drive Mazda PHEV SUV delivers decent performance. The electric vehicle (EV) combines a 2.5-litre (four-cylinder) petrol engine with an onboard electric motor (100 kW), powered by the EV battery. Despite the additional weight of the EV battery (175.1 kg), the PHEV can achieve 0-100 km/h in 5.8 seconds.
The 8-speed automatic transmission Mazda plug-in electric SUV delivers 327 PS maximum power and 500 Nm torque. Top speed is 200 km/h. The Mazda EV has 5 driving modes: normal, sport, off-road, towing and EV. Of course, on EV mode, the drive is more refined and quieter.
In terms of practicality, the Mazda PHEV is respectable. The placement of the EV battery has been such that the PHEV still offers a large boot size (570 L). Headroom for rear-seat passengers is good, though legroom for taller adults can be potentially a squeeze at the back. The rear-view visibility is however limited.
The CX-60 plug-in hybrid has a striking exterior design evolved around the Mazda ‘soul of motion’ design philosophy, further extended to the interior cabin, with ‘minimalism’ as a core theme. The cabin quality, design, equipment and technology is compelling. Mazda offers a 12.3-inch TFT display, Apple CarPlay & Android Auto, 5-years free map updates, blind spot monitoring (BSM), driver attention alert, front cross traffic alert (FCTA), rear cross traffic brake (RCTB), head-up display, smart keyless entry, new Mazda personalisation system and more.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| Good looking exterior styling | Not as fuel efficient as competitors |
| High level of equipment and technology | Onboard charger limited to 7.2 kW (single-phase) |
| Decent EV battery size and electric range | DC charging not available |
Gallery
The Mazda CX-60 Plug-In Hybrid SUV (credit: Mazda)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | SUV |
| Engine: | Petrol/ Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (4 Options) |
|---|
| Mazda CX-60 Prime-Line (€ 54,100) |
| Mazda CX-60 Exclusive-Line (from € 56,100) |
| Mazda CX-60 Homura (from € 59,350) |
| Mazda CX-60 Takumi (from € 60,950) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 17.8 kWh |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On board charger: 7.2 kW (0%-100%: 2 hrs 20 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 33g (CO2/km) |
| Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state-of-charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1675 |
| Width (mm): | 1890 |
| Length (mm): | 4745 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2870 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 11.7 |
| Boot Space (L): | 570 |
| Mazda CX-60 e-SKYACTIV PHEV | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 17.8 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 60 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | N/A |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100 km): | 1.5 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On board charger: 7.2 kW (0%-100%: 2 hrs 20 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 200 km/h |
| 0-100 km/h: | 5.8 seconds |
| Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 100 |
| Horsepower (ps): | 327 |
| Torque (Nm): | 500 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Minimum Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,981 |
| Colours: | 8 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
History Of Electric Cars: Quick Facts
| An electric vehicle (EV), also referred to as a battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is not a new invention or even an invention of modern times. Indeed, EVs were first developed more than a 100 years ago in the 19th century. Inventors from various countries, to include European countries and the United States, were the first to invest in electric motors and batteries. The first practical electric cars were built in the second half of the nineteenth century, with the first US electric car introduced in 1890. |
| Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation. Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages. In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage. Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention. It was the beginning of man’s love affair with cars that has lasted more than a century and still going strong. |
| However, the uptake of electric vehicles in the early 20th century was short-lived, as gasoline powered vehicles propelled by internal combustion engines (ICE) become the preferred mode of transportation. Bottom-line, manufactures chose internal combustion engines over electric cars in the early 1900s for various reasons, to include, the costs and production volumes. |
| It is not definitive as to where EVs were invented or to credit a single inventor. However, one known electric motor (small-scale) was created in 1828 by Anyos Jedlik, a Hungarian inventor, engineer, physicist and Benedictine priest. Hungarians and Slovaks still consider him to be the unsung hero of the electric motor. |
| Shortly after, between 1832 and 1839, a Scottish inventor Robert Anderson created a large electric motor to drive a carriage, powered by non-rechargeable primary power cells. Through the 19th century a number of inventors were inspired to develop electric motors to include, Thomas Davenport, an American from Vermont credited with building the first DC electric motor in America (1834). Unlike many of his contemporaries and other trying to build electric motors, Davenport did not have a background in either engineering or physics. In fact, he was a blacksmith. |
| Move forward a few decades and at the end of the 19th century, William Morrison created what is believed to be the first practical electric vehicle. Morrison, another American from Des Moines, Iowa, was a chemist who became interested in electricity. He build the first electric vehicle in 1887 in a carriage built by the Des Moines Buggy Co. His first attempt was not a great success. In 1890, he attempted again, with more success. 12 EVs were built using a carriage built by the Shaver Carriage Company. |
| The batteries were designed and developed by William Morrison. The vehicle had 24 batteries with an output of 112 amperes at 58 volts that took 10 hours to recharge. Available horsepower just under 4 horsepower. The vehicle could accommodate 6 individuals and had a top speed of 14 mph (22.50 km/h). |
| Morrison’s success led to others also developing large-scale practical electric cars. At the turn of the century cities like New York had 60 electric taxis. The first decade witnessed strong popularity for electric vehicles. However the popularity was short-lived as internal combustion engine (ICE) gasoline powered vehicles replaced the early electric vehicles. Henry Fords success with the then ubiquitous Ford Model T was the ‘beginning of the end’ for electric vehicles. The Model T was cheaper than the prevailing electric cars (US$ 650 Vs US$ 1,750) and could be manufactured at scale. As they say — the rest is history. |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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