The Mazda6 hasn’t been sold in North America for a few years now, but the automaker reportedly still has plans for the car in Europe. A recently discovered EU trademark application includes hints that a new electric sedan could be on the way. Autoguide reported that the company wants to trademark the name “Mazda 6e” and the “6e” logo, which could become the next-generation replacement to the long-running Mazda6 sedan.
Mazda is expected to wind down production of the internal combustion car next month, and it hasn’t been sold in North America since 2021. While we don’t know exactly what Mazda is planning, the trademark application states that it’s for “automobiles and their parts; electric cars and their parts.”
The automaker hasn’t had the best luck with EVs in the U.S., as the short-lived MX-30 was only sold in California and only offered a 100-mile range. It’s still on sale in Europe, though, with a rotary engine as a range extender. Mazda has also said it would pursue rotary tech for future applications, though it will likely stop with small range extender engines. Even so, the company has shown promising concept vehicles, including the Iconic SP, which previewed a next-generation two-door sports car.
We’re unlikely to see the Mazda 6e on our shores, as sedans are a dying breed in America. In their place, the company has released several new SUVs and crossovers in the past couple of years, including the CX-50, CX-70, and CX-90. The latter two are nearly identical, except for their seating arrangements.
Mazda is a relatively small company and it has so far been cautious with electric vehicles, so it’s anybody’s guess if this car will make it to production at all. Instead of going all-in on EVs, it has developed plug-in hybrid tech, which could be a reflection of the brand’s relationship with Toyota, which owns just over 5% of Mazda.