An electric replacement for the Mazda 6 mid-size sedan is on the way, with help from China – and it could be cheaper than a Tesla Model 3 or BYD Seal.
Electric Cars
Mazda's first long-range electric vehicle in Australia – a reworked Chinese car to be sold as the 2026 Mazda 6e – has been locked in for local showrooms by mid-next year.
It is set to be priced from less than $55,000 before on-road costs, Mazda has indicated – possibly undercutting a Tesla Model 3 RWD ($54,990) and even a BYD Seal Premium ($52,990).
The Mazda 6e sedan was first shown in China in 2024 as the EZ-6, and later announced for European and UK introductions, which opened the door to Australian availability.
Unlike all other Mazda passenger cars – which were developed in-house – the Mazda 6e owes its chassis and electrical hardware to its Chinese car-making partner Changan, which sells restyled versions of the 6e under its Deepal brand in other markets.
And whereas Mazda’s first electric vehicle in Australia, the MX-30, was based on a petrol-powered vehicle – and also sold as one – the 6e is Mazda’s first car only available with electric motors driving its wheels.
A range-extender version of the Mazda 6e is available in China, but it uses the petrol engine as a generator to drive the wheels and, regardless, only the electric version is coming to Australia.
Preliminary specifications issued by Mazda Australia's head of product strategy, Daniel Wakelam, reveal that Australian versions of the Mazda 6e will get a 78kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) battery and a 190kW single electric motor driving the rear wheels.
Driving range is quoted as "more than 500km" based on WLTP testing.
The specifications given by Mazda Australia differ slightly from those of the 6e in Europe, where an 80kWh nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) battery and 180kW electric motor deliver 552km of WLTP range, or a 68.8kWh LFP battery meets a 190kW motor for a 478km WLTP range rating.
The NMC battery offered overseas offers a slow DC recharge time of 47 minutes for a 10-80 per cent top-up.
Mazda Australia says a 30 to 80 per cent fill for the Australia-bound LFP battery will take 15 minutes.
Pricing and specifications for the Mazda 6e will be announced closer to the car’s Australian on-sale date, but the brand has announced that pricing will start from less than $55,000 before on-road costs.
Competition for the Mazda 6e includes the cheapest Tesla Model 3 Rear-Wheel Drive, starting from $54,900 plus on-road costs, with a 208kW motor and 520km WLTP range.
BYD offers a 150kW version of the Seal Dynamic sedan with a 61.4kWh battery and 460km WLTP range from $46,990, or the mid-spec Seal Premium, with a 230kW motor, 82.5kWh battery, and 570km range from $52,990, both before on-road costs.
Unlike the Model 3 and Seal, the Mazda 6e uses a five-door hatchback body, instead of a four-door sedan, a body style not offered since the third-generation Mazda 6 was launched in 2012.
Unlike the petrol-powered Mazda 6, however, the Mazda 6e comes in one body style only, with no conventional sedan or wagon version planned.
European specifications for the Mazda 6e include a 14.6-inch touchscreen, 14-speaker Sony audio, three-zone climate control, front and rear heated seats, a panoramic glass roof with electric sunshade, 360-degree cameras, and a full suite of advanced driver-assist technologies.
Full equipment and specifications of the Australian Mazda 6e are set to be announced closer to its expected on-sale date in the second quarter (April to June) of 2026.
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Kez Casey migrated from behind spare parts counters to writing about cars over ten years ago. Raised by a family of automotive workers, Kez grew up in workshops and panel shops before making the switch to reviews and road tests for The Motor Report, Drive and CarAdvice.
