Mazda Demio EV leasing begins in Japan in October

Mazda Demio EV leasing begins in Japan in October:
Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Mazda, Japan




Looks like Mazda is going to do some "Zoom Zoom" of the quieter variety.



The company will start leasing the Demio EV in Japan in October, as the Japanese automaker takes slow steps towards electric-drive-vehicle availability.



The battery-electric version of the Demio, which sells as the Mazda2 in the U.S., will be made available to about 100 corporate and government entities in the Chugoku region of western Japan. No monthly rate was disclosed, though Mazda estimated the (theoretical) purchase price of about 3.58 million yen, or about $45,000.



The 2,600-pound Demio EV will deliver about 100 horsepower as well as a single-charge range of about 125 miles, per Japanese testing cycle.



Late last year, Automotive News reported that Mazda will start offering an EV in the U.S. by 2018, in part to conform to zero-emissions vehicle mandates in California.



The automaker last year set a goal to boost fleetwide fuel economy by about 30 percent over the next three years largely through its SkyActiv program, which employs engine, aerodynamics, transmission and lightweighting improvements to reduce fuel use in its internal combustion engines. Mazda has set a goal to sell as many as 160,000 SkyActiv vehicles annually.
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Mazda Demio EV leasing begins in Japan in October originally appeared on AutoblogGreen on Mon, 09 Jul 2012 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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