Tag Archives: European market

News

2025 Mazda EZ-6 coming to European market

At the 2024 Beijing Auto Show, Mazda unveiled the electric successor to the Mazda 6, the Mazda EZ-6. It is an EV sedan that will be offered on the European market as a competitor to the BMW i4 and Tesla’s Model 3.

During the presentation, there was no word that the EZ-6 would be offered outside the Chinese market. However, Mazda recently entered into an agreement with Changan Mazda as the exclusive Chinese base for new energy research and development as well as production for the global market. This means that the EZ-6 will become Mazda’s first global new energy car. Also, there was a confirmation that the car will be sold in the Chinese and European markets from the fall of this year.

The Mazda EZ-6 is 4,921 mm long and has a wheelbase of 2,900 mm, making it a direct rival to models such as the Tesla Model 3, Polestar 2 and BMW i4, currently the most popular electric cars on the market. The EZ-6 is based on Changan’s modular EPA platform, which supports Level 4 autonomous driving. However, initially the EZ-6 will be limited to level 2 plus, which requires constant human supervision.

It was designed with a focus on the “jinba ittai” philosophy, which means that “the car and the driver are one.” It is equipped with a multilink suspension and a self-raising rear spoiler that ensures stability at high speeds, and has a weight distribution of 50:59. Inside, attention is drawn to the 14.6″ infotainment touchscreen, while the steering wheel features physical and haptic controls.

The car will be powered by a single electric motor with 221 hp (164 kW), and will have a range of 600 km. An extended-range version will also be available, with a range of around 1,200 km.

Source: Mazda

News

Ferrari expanded crypto payment to Europe

In October 2023, Ferrari announced that buyers in America will be able to pay for their cars in cryptocurrency. The reason was that the manufacturer reaches people who are not necessarily buyers of our brand, but who can afford a Ferrari. Now the service has been extended to Europe.

When the first cryptocurrency (Bitcoin) was created in 2009, few believed that it would survive. Today, there are hundreds of different cryptocurrencies on the market, and many still think they have no future. Many manufacturers still do not believe them, but Ferrari tried its luck in America and succeeded.

In the US, Ferrari has reached an agreement with a bitcoin payment service provider (BitPay) to process payments in cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ether and USDC. This system protects traders from price fluctuations by instantly converting digital currencies into traditional currency. Also, the advantage is that there are no fees or additional payments for clients.

It was not mentioned when this system will become possible in Europe, and according to statements from Maranello, most dealers have already adopted or are in the process of adopting the new system. Of course, Ferrari will not limit this payment option only to Europe and America, because soon customers in other markets will also be able to use it.

Source: Ferrari

News

Changan plans to produce cars in Europe

In March, Chinese automaker Changan unveiled the first ever car with extended range technology (EREV), the Changan Hunter. Now the company has announced that it plans to start car production in Europe.

Last year, Changan launched a global strategy to expand into the global market with the potential construction of factories abroad. The first move was to expand into the South American market, where the focus is on cars with internal combustion engines, and the plan is to sell around 200,000 units by 2030.

Now the focus is on the European market where they plan to offer exclusively battery vehicles. It can be said that Changan is trying to react quickly to the recent decision of the European Commission to introduce additional tariffs (of up to 38.1%) on cars manufactured in China. Other Chinese companies could follow suit, and some of them have already done so. For example, BYD aims to be among the top five best-selling brands in Europe by the end of the decade and the plan is to build a factory in Hungary with an initial capacity of 200,000 units per year. Also, Leapmotor has announced that it will assemble its small electric car, the T03, in Poland.

It should be noted that some information suggests that the EU may change tariffs on Chinese EVs. Thus, producers who cooperated during the investigation would have lower tariffs (20.8% instead of 21%), while those who refused to cooperate will have tariffs of 37.6 percent instead of the original 38.1 percent.

Source: Changan