2026 Mazda 6e confirmed for Australia

Mazda Australia will have another crack at entering the EV space, confirming that it will bring its all-electric Mazda 6e to our shores in 2026 as a mid-sized, rear-driven, competitively priced Tesla Model Y fighter.

Mazda has confirmed plans to re-enter the electric vehicle (EV) space next year, when it will debut the all-new Mazda 6e mid-size sedan around the middle of 2026.

The Mazda 6e, which is based on the Chinese-market EZ-6 and was developed as a joint-venture with Changan Automobile (launched in China in late 2024), will effectively take the place of the now-discontinued Mazda6 in the company’s local showrooms.

More crucially it will also take the brand’s electrification efforts to a new phase – and is Mazda Australia’s first Chinese-built vehicle.

The 6e will arrive as Mazda’s second purely-electric vehicle to be offered in this country, following in the tyre tracks of the unloved MX-30 that was sold here between 2021 and 2023, but was cut due to slow sales.

Mazda is confident the 6e will enjoy greater fortunes than the MX-30 did and, considering it’s expected to retail for more than $10,000 less while boasting more than double the single-charge range, it’s not hard to see why.

Full specifications and pricing have yet to be locked in, but Mazda says it is targeting ‘an MLP that is sub-$55,000’ and a cruising range of more than 500km via the Mazda 6e’s 78kWh lithium-iron phosphate (LFP) battery pack.

Power is transferred to the road via a rear-mounted electric motor (190kW/380Nm) and if all of those numbers have a whiff of familiarity, that’s probably because they echo the key metrics of the Tesla Model 3 single motor RWD – arguably the vehicle from which the Mazda 6e intends to steal market share.

Jarrod Gieschen, Mazda Australia’s director of sales and marketing, said he believes the Mazda 6e will be the right EV product at the right time for the brand.

“The early adopters have jumped into the market, but the mainstream customers still need a few boxes to tick, and our plan is to appeal to everyday Australians.”

He said this will be actioned via a ‘Mazda-specific experience’ that encompasses the “…benefits of a trusted, reputable brand and the support of a highly engaged healer network.”

With 148 dealerships nationally, Mazda has an enviable showroom network in Australia.

“We have a strong following in this country. We know cars. And our customers know and love our cars and this gives us a really strong foundation to launch into the EV space as a trusted brand with trusted product,” he added.

The Mazda 6e may also prove to be a handy rival to other EV sedans like the BYD Seal Premium and MG IM5.

On display at Mazda’s announcement of the 6e was a production-spec UK-market vehicle, which exhibited impressive levels of equipment and material quality that should prove competitive against its other China-sourced four-door EVs.

However, it’s unclear whether it was representative of the sub-$55K price leader that Mazda Australia is hoping to bring here.

It’s understood that Mazda will likely bring one model-grade Down Under, with a number of option packs available to buyers to improve the equipment list, tech and potentially the levels of luxury.

There’s a handful of unknowns concerning the Australian-spec Mazda 6e at present and while a 30-80% DC fast-charge time of 15 minutes has been mooted, it’s not clear whether it’ll have a similar (and sub-par) 92kW charging rate as its Changan sibling, the Deepal L07.

Those metrics may change between now and the middle of 2026, when the Mazda 6e officially enters the Australian market, given that Chinese brands have shown a willingness to rapidly update and upgrade models to keep them competitive.

What’s clear, though, is that we won’t receive the option of a range-extender plug-in hybrid, despite that powertrain being available in China.

“In Australia, we know there's still a desire for petrol, for diesel, and a growing interest in electrified vehicles,” said Gieschen.

“We'll continue to evolve our range in highly efficient internal combustion engines, continue to develop plug-in hybrid technology, and soon we'll launch the Mazda hybrid system with new CX-5,” he added.

However, Mazda’s local leadership said sales of the 6e are not expected to be as strong as those the Mazda6 had traditionally enjoyed and that having one less powertrain – the PHEV version – to support would lead to a stronger long-term business case.

Further details will be locked in closer to the Mazda 6e’s 2026 launch, however carsales expects to have its first steer of Mazda’s new EV before the end of 2025.

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