Mazda 6e already poaching Tesla and BYD buyers

Mazda says the new all-electric 6e is already attracting buyers away from rival brands, with around half of all Australian pre-orders coming from outside the Mazda family.

Mazda is entering one of Australia's most competitive EV segments. The Tesla Model 3 and BYD Seal account for more than 90 per cent of medium electric sedan sales this year, leaving rivals, such as the Kia EV4, to fight over the remaining share.

Despite that, Mazda believes the all-electric 6e is already convincing existing owners to switch to an EV, with the sedan bringing a significant number of new customers into the brand.

Speaking at its Australian launch, Mazda Australia managing director Vinesh Bhindi revealed more than half of the model's 700-plus local pre-orders had come from buyers who had never previously owned a Mazda.

"Approximately 54 per cent of current pre-order customers are new to the Mazda brand, and 46 per cent either currently or previously have owned a Mazda," said Bhindi.

"This tells us that the Mazda 6e has hit the mark in appealing to a new base of customers as well as our Mazda loyalists."

"They're coming from everywhere," he said.

Bhindi said some were likely to be recent migrants establishing themselves in Australia, while others were existing owners of rival brands looking to buy an EV from a more established manufacturer.

The trend is even stronger for the upcoming CX-6e SUV, which Mazda says is attracting an even higher proportion of buyers new to the brand, potentially taking sales away from rivals such as the Tesla Model Y and BYD Sealion 7.

Bhindi said the difference was likely due to the Mazda 6e benefiting from the heritage of the long-running Mazda 6 nameplate.

Mazda also says it has the capacity to increase production if local demand continues to strengthen.

The company originally forecast sales of between 250 and 300 examples per month but says rising EV demand means those figures could be revised upward.

The 6e is just the beginning of Mazda's Chinese-built EV offensive.

Developed alongside Changan Auto, the competitively priced 6e will soon be joined by the CX-6e SUV, giving Mazda its first genuine opportunity to challenge established EV players with products designed to appeal to both loyal customers and buyers new to the brand.

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