New Mazda 6e Costs Over Twice As Much In The UK Than In China

  • The Mazda6e will be available exclusively with a 78 kWh battery.
  • Power is provided by a rear-mounted motor with 254 hp.
  • It shares a platform with China’s Changan Deepal SL03 sedan.

Mazda has taken its time getting into the EV game, aside from the underwhelming and slow-selling MX-30. But now, it finally has a compelling electric sedan in the lineup in the form of the new 6e, which has just landed in the UK. There’s a bit of sticker shock, though, especially when you compare it to pricing in China, where it’s built and sold as the EZ-6 alongside the EZ-60 SUV.

A single electric powertrain setup will be offered for UK buyers, though shoppers can choose between two trim levels. The entry-level version, dubbed the Takumi, is priced at £38,995 (around $53,200 at today’s exchange rates), landing just shy of the €44,900 (US$53,400) starting price in Germany.

Read: Mazda’s Sportier 6e Sedan Launches With A Price Tag That Feels Like A Typo

On the surface,this pricing doesn’t seem too far off the mark. An entry-level Tesla Model 3 starts at £37,990 ($51,900) in the UK, and the Mazda wants to be positioned as a slightly more premium offering. Even so, the UK price tag looks far less compelling when held up against what customers in China are paying.

Twice The Price, Same Car

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In the People’s Republic, where the 6e is built, the entry-level model starts at 159,800 yuan (£16,900 / $23,100), and the flagship model at 181,800 yuan (£19,300 / $26,300). By comparison, UK buyers are being asked to pay more than twice the price for the same vehicle. Specifically, 2.3 times more.

This discrepancy may come as a shock to many buyers, but it’s not without precedent, as it’s common for EVs built and sold in China to be far cheaper there than they are in overseas markets.

However, keep in mind that, that, unlike mainland Europe, the UK doesn’t impose specific tariffs on Chinese cars. There’s just the standard 10 percent import duty, plus a 20 percent VAT on all new vehicles, no matter where they’re made. That tax is included in the advertised price, unlike in the US.

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Battery and Charging Basics

Both trim levels of the 6e sold in the UK come with a 78 kWh lithium-ion phosphate battery, offering a solid driving range of 348 miles (560 km) and the ability to charge from 10-80 percent in 24 minutes.

The 6e doesn’t promise to be a particularly spritely performer, however, as the rear-mounted electric motor is only good for 254 hp and 214 lb-ft (290 Nm) of torque, meaning the sedan needs 7.9 seconds to hit 62 mph (100 km/h).

The higher-end Takumi Plus starts at £39,995 ($54,600) and adds more upscale finishes, including tan Nappa leather, titanium-look accents, synthetic suede upholstery, and a panoramic glass roof.

Despite appearances, the Mazda6e isn’t a purely in-house creation from Hiroshima. It’s based on the Changan Deepal SL03 (also known as the L07), sharing its platform and much of its core engineering with the Chinese model.

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The Auto World

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