Mazda officially revealed the European version of the Mazda 6e, the successor to the Mazda 6, which has been on the market for 13 years. This new model replaces the aging sedan with an electric car, skipping the hybrid phase altogether, thanks to the collaboration between Mazda and the Chinese company Changan. This marks Mazda's first serious entry into the electric vehicle market, setting aside the earlier attempt with the MX-30, a small and charming crossover that showed promise but ultimately delivered a mediocre product.
The car itself is not entirely new, having debuted last year under the name EZ6, which is how it is marketed in China. It shares its platform and some components with the Deepal SL03. If that name sounds familiar, it’s the same manufacturer behind the Deepal cars distributed by Automotive Equipment Group in Israel.
At 4.92 meters from end to end, the Mazda 6e is 5 cm longer than the familiar Mazda 6, and its 289 cm wheelbase is 6.5 cm longer than the outgoing sedan. Among its electric competitors—spanning models like the Hyundai Ioniq 6, Xpeng P7, and Tesla Model 3—it is the longest of the group, with a wheelbase that falls between Tesla’s (287 cm) and the Ioniq 6 (295 cm). The P7, however, boasts a wheelbase 10 cm longer than the Mazda. Despite its dimensions, the trunk offers only 330 liters of storage, less than a compact family car. A front trunk with 70 liters of capacity adds little.
The interior features a 14.6-inch multimedia screen, a 10.25-inch digital instrument panel, and a 50-inch augmented reality head-up display. To make up for the limited physical buttons, it includes gesture and voice command controls. In Europe, the car will be available in two trim levels—Takumi and Takumi Plus. The Takumi trim includes leather-like heated seats, while the Plus offers Nappa leather seats and an electric cover for the panoramic roof.
Two drivetrain options are available: the 258 and 245, both rear-wheel drive. The first delivers 258 horsepower and 32.6 kgm of torque, equipped with a 68.8 kWh battery and a range of 479 km. It supports fast charging at 200 kW, achieving a 10-80% charge in 22 minutes. The second version produces 245 horsepower with the same torque but comes with a larger 80 kWh battery, offering a range of 552 km. Both versions accelerate to 100 km/h in under 8 seconds, with a top speed of 175 km/h.
In Europe, the car is expected to hit the market as early as this summer, while it is set to arrive in Israel in the last quarter of 2025. Pricing in Germany is expected to start at around €45,000, which is €5,000 more than the entry-level Model 3 there.
Translated into Israeli pricing, this would range between NIS 235,000 and NIS 240,000. If this pricing remains unchanged, the car’s entry could be quite challenging, as competitors start at less than NIS 215,000. Mazda will rely on its Japanese brand identity as a key selling point. The cheapest electric sedan from a non-Chinese brand, the Volkswagen ID.7, costs over NIS 300,000.