By Chris Ward, November 10, 2024
Mazda, the “nothing” brand (which is represented here by a single white dot), is boldly stepping into the EV future by confirming it is, indeed, doing nothing. To emphasise this commitment to nothing, Mazda revealed a concept car slated for production “in the not-so-distant future.” This phrase came directly from Mazda’s design chief, Masahi Nakayama, at the launch of the Iconic SP, an EV sports car concept.
According to Nakayama, who shared his insights with the world’s most dedicated stenographers—excuse me, the highly respected automotive media—the Iconic SP has been meticulously designed, inside and out, to closely reflect the final production model.
Despite all this meticulous design and engineering, Mazda executives concede that the Iconic SP may not have much of a future beyond a vague, undetermined date.
At the Iconic SP unveiling, Mazda also outlined its sustainability plans, highlighting that this “future” EV sports car—which itself has an indeterminate future—will feature a range extender powered by synthetic fuels to support its EV powertrain.
While synthetic fuels may have lower net carbon emissions than traditional fuels, they’re still costly to produce and still emit carbon and other pollutants when burned. So, when a corporate executive promises a product “in the not-so-distant future,” remember if it smells like bullshit, it often is bullshit.
