Mazda MX-30 – crossover EV leaked before debut?

Mazda has already announced that it will unveil its first electric vehicle at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show, and while a shadowy teaser is all we were provided with previously, Japanese magazine Web Cartop may have already revealed the SUV on its cover.

Reportedly called the MX-30 (Concept), the image shows a crossover with a silhouette not unlike what was shown in the company’s teaser, with shared design highlights like a long bonnet and a coupe-like roofline.

Other cues seen include a recessed grille that creates a chasm on the front end, with the headlamps tucked within, which will no doubt attract differing opinions. Meanwhile, the lower apron sports a thick bar to divide the intake into two, with slim fog lamps occupying the corners.

Down the sides, we find black body cladding and more interestingly, a door layout that harks back to the RX-8, with rear suicide doors that can only be opened when the front doors are ajar. There’s also a two-tone paintjob applied here, with the base of the C-pillar featuring a off-coloured trim piece to amplify the effect – the charging door is on the right just below this.

No interior photos as of yet, but Mazda says that the EV’s cabin will use plenty of sustainable or recycled materials, and should be a pleasant place to be in, as the company has a rather good track record of providing interiors that have an upmarket feel to them.

Development of the Mazda EV was done under the e-TPV project, which saw prototypes that used a CX-30 body shell. The test mules were powered by a 35.5 kWh battery, which provided current to an electric motor that served up 140 hp (105 kW) and 264 Nm of torque to the front wheels. Whether this is the same powertrain that will be used in the MX-30, we’ll have to wait for Mazda to reveal all.

GALLERY: Mazda e-TPV electric prototype

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