More evidence of the Mazda 6 going electric has emerged, with a trademark filing in Europe suggesting the brand’s mid-sized passenger car will adopt battery power.
Mazda has filed a pair of trademark applications in the European Union Intellectual Property Office for ‘6e’, retaining the existing 6 sedan and wagon’s model number but with the addition of a letter that has become synonymous with an electric powertrain for many brands.
Its filing comes shortly after Mazda trademarked the EZ-6 name in China.
Changan Mazda is expected to produce an electric Mazda sedan under this nameplate, and the Chinese joint venture has said it’s looking to research overseas cooperation opportunities with other carmakers.
It’s unclear whether this Chinese-built model could be exported to markets like Europe.
Given the recent European trademark filing also includes an image of the proposed 6e badge, it appears this is more than a case of Mazda simply protecting future ideas, instead suggesting there are plans in place for a production model.
There have been rumours of the Mazda 6 going electric or at least adopting mild- or plug-in hybrid technology in recent months, with speculation that the next-generation model could be based on the brand’s rear/all-wheel drive Large Platform.
With sales of sedans declining globally, however, Mazda has thus far used this new platform exclusively for SUVs like the CX-60 and CX-90.
The Mazda 6 on sale in Australian showrooms right now was launched back in 2012, and has received two facelifts to extend its lifecycle – though it’s still fundamentally the same car underneath as it was more than a decade ago.
While the Mazda 6 will no longer be sold in its home market of Japan, production of the petrol-powered sedan and wagon is continuing for Australia.
Mazda doesn’t sell an electric car in Australia, having taken its MX-30 small SUV off sale towards the end of 2023 due to low sales – driven in part by its high price and limited range.
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