Mazda is preparing the next-generation MX-5 to accommodate a future in which the roadster may no longer use a combustion engine. Chief Executive Masahiro Moro said the successor must be ready for such a scenario, although the company has not confirmed which powertrain will be offered when the model initially arrives.
Moro’s statement leaves open the possibility that the next MX-5 could launch with an internal-combustion engine while using a structure designed to support later electrification. The source presents that sequence as an interpretation rather than a confirmed product plan, and Mazda has not announced an electric version or provided a launch schedule.
Mazda’s global sales and marketing general manager previously told GoAuto that the internal-combustion engine remained the way forward at that time. The executive added that the company could consider another approach in the future if the necessary technology became available. Together, the comments indicate that Mazda is not committing publicly to an immediate electric transition for the MX-5.
The report also cites patents identified by Auto Express in 2025 that showed an MX-5 configuration with batteries positioned in the transmission tunnel. Such an arrangement could allow a vehicle with traditional sports-car proportions to carry battery cells without relying entirely on the flat, floor-mounted pack commonly associated with dedicated electric platforms. The patents were referenced as an indication of possible engineering work, not as confirmation of a production model.
A transmission-tunnel battery layout could also help maintain a lower seating position and a weight distribution closer to that of a conventional sports car. The source compares the concept with the Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, which uses a T-shaped battery arrangement with cells located near the bulkhead, under the hood and through the transmission tunnel. Mazda has not confirmed that the next MX-5 will use the same solution.
Moro said Mazda’s challenge is to reduce the weight of the basic structure without using exotic materials such as carbon fiber. He identified a developer target ranging from just under 1,000 kilograms to 1,200 kilograms, equivalent to approximately 2,200 to 2,645 pounds, and said he believed the company could achieve it.
That target keeps the next model within a range comparable to the current MX-5, according to the source. Maintaining a similar mass would be particularly difficult for an electric derivative because batteries generally add weight, but Mazda has not disclosed a battery size, driving range, motor output or any other technical specification for a possible electric version.
For now, the confirmed direction is that the next MX-5’s underlying structure must be prepared for a non-combustion future while Mazda continues to prioritize lightness. The company has not provided a timeline for an electric MX-5, so the next step will be further product or engineering details clarifying which powertrain launches first and how the weight target will be met.
