QOTD: Is An Electric Mazda Miata Sacrilege?

by Tim Healey

Published: May 9th, 2025

qotd is an electric mazda miata sacrilege

Patent documents show that Mazda is working on an electric-vehicle setup -- and one of the drawings is suspiciously Miata-looking.

So I am asking you -- is the idea of an electric or hybrid Mazda Miata sacrilegious?

To me, it kind of is. I am far from being anti-EV, but I believe that as long as the internal combustion engine exists, it should be the motivator of choice for certain models. The Miata is one of those models.

I also have concerns that a hybrid or EV Miata might weigh too much, even though the patent docs specifically address that issue.

But I'm being an old fuddy-duddy. An old man wailing against the clouds, a la Grandpa Simpson. Maybe an EV or hybrid Miata would be a hoot to drive and not overweight.

What say you?

Sound off below.

[Image: Mazda]

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Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

More by Tim Healey

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4 of 37 comments

JMII on May 12, 2025

This could work... BUT without a manual it wouldn't be worth it.

I'd really like to see some 2 door sporty EVs on the market. Giving up some range for quickness, which happens with current EV tech, is a totally acceptable compromise for a sports car. The obvious problem is the weight... but could suspension tuning and steering feedback adjustment make a heavy car feel light and nimble?

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- MaintenanceCosts on May 12, 2025
  
  I don't think it would have to be all that heavy. Heavier than the current Miata, yes, but still lighter than virtually every other car on the market.
  
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- DungBeetle62 on May 12, 2025
  
  Much as I love a manual, the goofy efforts some are attempting to fake a manual in an EV seem worse than just living without it.
  
  2
Flipper35 on May 12, 2025

If you don't need a long range, it will probably add 300 to 500 pounds. Still could be reasonably nimble and fun to drive. Would definitely have more torque than any previous version so off the line will be completely different.

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