Mazda plans to make ‘7 or 8’ electric car models by 2030
Slow-moving Mazda, which currently sells one electric car, the MX-30 (and in limited quantities), says it will finally wake from its long slumber and crank out a few more EVs, seven or eight models in fact, and sell them internationally by 2030. Here’s hoping that the promised electric Miata is part of the lineup.
Of course, no precise information – where, what, when – is available, but Mazda CEO Masahiro Moro shared the tidbit with Automotive News in an interview. Moro, who took the helm earlier this year, has been extremely vocal about his reluctance to embrace EVs, saying that they don’t sell unless they are from Tesla. Still, he does say that Mazda will start to make some effort, with the caveat that the Japanese automaker is an “intentional follower” rather than a leader in the sector and that the market is still too shaky to dive in headfirst.
“For us, the demand for electric models is too uncertain,” Moro told Automotive News. “The demand for electric cars is still growing too slowly. Right now, customers are still looking for alternatives that are not EVs.”
The company has indicated that it expects some 25 to 40% of its international sales to be electric vehicles by 2030 – which won’t meet EPA requirements. Still, to make that uninspiring goal happen, Mazda has launched a department to develop these new cars based on what will be a modular EV platform, expected to debut between 2025 and 2027. According to the report, the details of the platform are still being developed in response to evolving regulations and politics, with Moro adding that the financial unpredictability surrounding EVs could play a part in scaling up the platform.
The first step is to design and manufacture electric vehicles for Japan, from 2025 to 2027, and then launch them potentially in North America next, from 2028. By 2030, Mazda aims to have seven or eight BEVs sold globally.
Moro adds that the company will work with its partner, the behemoth Toyota, on software and electrical infrastructures, with the mission to create smart, “socially connected battery EVs,” with software crucial to that process. As much as 90% of the software will be based on Toyota’s, including the hardware and operating systems.
“It’s much more efficient because the software is going to be the base for many products going forward,” Moro told Automotive News of the partnership with Toyota. “There are many things an individual company can’t do alone.”
Electrek’s Take
Earlier this year, Mazda announced an “electrified” Miata was in the works for 2026, but it didn’t specify whether it would be fully electric, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid. So, if it could capture that Miata magic in an electric version – a fun-driving, agile, sporty car that looks a lot more expensive than it is – that would be a sure thing. But, it’s hard to feel real optimism from Mazda, from the looks of the MX-30, which got pulled from the US after selling only a few dozen units. Mazda, along with other Japanese automakers, is, of course, way behind the curve here.
Moro did, however, hint that Mazda will stick to what it arguably does best, designing a small, lightweight EV and keeping costs pared down. Still, the company is banking on the popularity of its bestselling ICE CX-50 and CX-90 SUVs to bring it a record year in profit in the US, selling 389,000 vehicles in the US, a 22% bump from last year. It hasn’t broken this record since 1986. It has recently debuted PHEV versions of both models for 2024, but we’ve still nary a fully electric version in sight.
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James Murdoch, a Tesla board member and friend of CEO Elon Musk, has confirmed that he sold about $13 million in stock today as the stock (TSLA) crashed.
There has been a lot of insider trading at Tesla lately, and by trading, we mean selling – cause no insider is ever buying at Tesla.
We recently reported on Kimball Musk, Elon’s brother, and Tesla’s Chief Financial Officer Taneja Vaibhav recently selling ahead of a recent drop in the company’s stock price.
Tesla’s chairwoman, Robyn Denholm, also sold $33 million worth of Tesla shares last week and over $100 million in the last 3 months.
Now, it’s James Murdoch’s turn. The Tesla board member just confirmed, through a required SEC filing, that he sold 54,776 Tesla shares for just over $13 million today:
He sold as Tesla’s stock crashed 15% today. It is now down more than 50% from its all-time high just a few months ago.
Murdoch was appointed to Tesla’s board in 2017.
He is better known as the son of media mogul Rupert Murdoch and the former CEO of 21st Century Fox from 2015 to 2019.
Murdoch was one of the Tesla board directors who was forced to return almost $1 billion in cash and stock options to Tesla as part of a settlement for over-compensation.
Electrek’s Take
Tesla insiders are unloading, and those are just the ones we know about. Public companies only have to report insider trading for board directors and listed top executives.
For the latter, Tesla purposefully only lists 3 people: Elon, Vaibhav Taneja, Tesla’s CFO, and Tom Zhu, whose role at Tesla has bit quite fluid in recent years.
Therefore, we don’t know about the dozens of other top executives potentially selling their shares right now amid a giant correction.
It’s really suspicious because there are clear top leaders at Tesla who are often on Tesla’s earnings calls, and they are not even listed, like Lars Moravy, for example.
But it’s par for the course at Tesla, which has some of the worst corporate governance I have ever seen. It’s truly shameful.
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Environment
Mercedes’ new electric people mover is coming soon: Here’s a sneak peek at the luxe EV van
The next generation of Mercedes-Benz luxury vans is almost here. Mercedes’ first luxury electric van, based on its new VAN.EA platform, is now in Arjeplog, Sweden, for winter testing. The new platform will serve as the base for upcoming VIP private vans, high-end limousines, luxury all-arounders, and much more.
What we know about Mercedes’ new luxury electric van
Mercedes is already a leading van maker, both for business and private use. Starting next year, all electric Mercedes’ vans will launch on its new Van Electric Architecture (VAN.EA).
After unveiling the platform almost two years ago, Mathias Geisen, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans, said “VAN.EA clearly underscores our aspiration to ‘Lead in Electric.” He explained that the purpose-built EV architecture supports both mid and large vans.
With a modular design, Mercedes can easily swap out sections to create a different design. The platform consists of three blocks, or modules.
The first block has the electric powertrain while the middle module determines the van’s dimensions. At the rear, the final module can add another electric motor, giving it AWD capabilities.
With 4MATIC AWD, Mercedes claims the new architecture significantly expands driving range and ensures the vans “meet the highest standards regardless of weather conditions.”
Although final specs will be revealed closer to launch, the electric vans will be based on an 800V platform, suggesting relatively fast charging speeds.
The luxury vans will also be loaded with Mercedes’ new operating system (MB.OS), it’s powerful new in-vehicle software that powers all functions like infotainment, autonomous driving, and more.
After the electric van began testing on public roads late last year, Mercedes said it was headed to Sweden for winter testing before its official debut next year.
Mercedes plans to launch several versions for private and business use. The VAN.EA-P is designed for those looking for a mobile office, family activity vehicle, etc., while the VAN.EA-C is for commercial use, such as courier, express, and parcel delivery vehicles. It can even support larger vehicles like campers or RVs.
Mercedes aims for 20% of van sales to be electric by the end of next year. By 2030, the luxury brand wants half of all van sales to be EV.
Source: Mercedes-Benz
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Environment
BlackRock’s Fink says Trump deportations will have severe impact on agriculture, construction
HOUSTON — BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said Monday that President Donald Trump‘s deportation policy will have a severe impact on the agriculture and construction sectors, which could lead to elevated inflation in the near term.
“I think that over the next six to nine months, we’re going to see a little more elevated inflation,” Fink said the CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference. “I do believe deportations and the speed at which it is happening is going to have severe impacts on the agricultural sector and the construction sector.”
Fink said CEOs in the agriculture sector have told him that about 70% of the men and women who work in the industry were not born in the U.S. This raises the question of whether the U.S. will have enough labor to harvest the crops when spring arrives, Fink said.
“With the whole idea that we’re going to have to use private capital to build out this economy — are we going to have enough workers,” Fink asked. “I’ve even told members of the Trump team that we’re going to run out of electricians as we build out AI data centers — we just don’t have enough,” the CEO said.
This potential labor shortage will contribute to inflation, Fink said. Over the longer term, however, the U.S. could see “big deflation because of the advancement of AI and robots and how that’s going to reshape the economy,” the CEO said.
The deflationary pressure that the U.S. experienced over the past two decades was due in part to the importation of cheaper goods from overseas though this hurt U.S. workers, Fink said. The shift to rising nationalism around the world will have an impact on prices, he said.
“When I go to Washington, they talk about these policies,” Fink said. “I ask at what cost are you willing to tolerate that. “Yes, we may have opportunities to create better and more robust jobs, but then the offside of that will be, it will probably create a little more elevated inflation in the short run.”
Trump’s deportation policy is occurring at the same time the president is imposing tariffs on major U.S. trade partners. The president has slapped 20% tariffs on China. He has paused tariffs on Mexican and Canadian goods that are compliant with the deal that governs trade in North America. But Trump is threatening what he calls “reciprocal tariffs” in April.
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