Johannesburg – Mazda is reportedly considering entering the electric bakkie market, though it will not use the Isuzu-based BT-50 as a foundation.
Hiroshi Ozawa, Technical Development General Manager at Changan Mazda Automobile, told Australia’s carsales.com.au that the company is exploring the Changan Nevo E07 as a potential base. “I cannot talk about that in this meeting. But my personal view is that Deepal E07 is a very interesting vehicle,” Ozawa said. He added that Mazda currently does not produce commercial trucks independently but may explore the E07 if there is global demand.
The Nevo E07, also known as the Deepal E07 in some markets, is a unibody pickup with a mid-gate between the rear seats and loadbin. Folding rear seats and a retractable bulkhead expand the load area, which can carry up to 300 kg. Its fastback design includes a glass “bootlid” and hidden storage under the boot floor. 
The electric powertrain varies by model: the single-motor rear-wheel-drive produces 252kW and 365Nm, while the dual-motor all-wheel-drive delivers 440kW and 645Nm. This compares to the Isuzu D-Max EV, which uses a 66.9-kWh battery producing 140kW and 325Nm.
The E07 is expected in South Africa under the Changan name this year. If Mazda decides to rebadge it, the move could mark its return to the bakkie market after withdrawing the BT-50 in early 2024 due to weak sales. Unlike the D-Max, which is locally assembled in Eastern Cape, the BT-50 was imported from Thailand.
No official confirmation has been made regarding Mazda producing a rebadged E07 for global markets.
