You've basically said how to arrive, not whether you can arrive
Mazda's CEO criticizes EU's electric-only approach to carbon neutrality, arguing it stifles technological diversity and overlooks hybrid solutions gaining market traction. European automakers overestimated EV demand, forcing costly platform investments; Mazda pursues multi-technology strategy including hybrids, REEVs, and electric vehicles.
- Mazda's European sales fell 11.9% in the first nine months of fiscal 2026
- A 14-to-16-month gap between CX-5 generations caused the decline
- Mazda expects 25% growth in Europe this year from CX-5 relaunch and new CX-6e model
- Mazda develops electric vehicles through a joint venture with Chongqing Changan since 2012
Mazda's European president argues that Europe's focus on electric vehicles for carbon neutrality is overly narrow, limiting innovation and overlooking alternative technologies like hybrids that better serve market demand.
Martijn Ten Brink sits across from a reporter and makes a case that Europe has painted itself into a corner. The president of Mazda's European operations believes the continent has made a strategic error by defining carbon neutrality almost entirely through the lens of electric vehicles—a choice he sees as both limiting and, ironically, not even clearly aligned with actual environmental goals.
The problem, as Ten Brink sees it, runs deeper than just picking the wrong technology. When European regulators essentially declared that carbon neutrality means electric vehicles, they didn't just favor one solution over others. They prescribed the entire path forward: the best battery, the most efficient motor, the right aerodynamics. They eliminated the possibility that other routes to the same destination might exist. "It's a shame that Europe has centered its interpretation of carbon neutrality on the electric," he told El Español-Invertia. "I would have preferred a broader interpretation."
This narrow focus has had real consequences across the industry. Automakers poured capital into electric platforms to serve a market whose demand forecasts turned out to be wildly optimistic. The result: manufacturers have had to recalibrate, launching cheaper models and, notably, investing heavily in hybrid technology—which has emerged as what European customers actually want. Mazda, like others, is hedging its bets. The company builds electric vehicles, but it's also doubling down on hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles, betting that different market segments will need different solutions.
Ten Brink's critique goes further. He questions whether electric vehicles are truly carbon-neutral when you account for supply chains and research investment. "Although an electric vehicle is fantastic in many ways, I'm not sure it's carbon neutral," he said. "And I'm not sure the supply chains and R&D development are the best solution for the planet." The real loss, he argues, is the innovation that didn't happen. A more open regulatory framework would have pushed the industry toward creative solutions across multiple domains, not just toward optimizing a single prescribed path.
Why did Europe choose this route? Ten Brink suggests it was the easiest option. Electric vehicles require simple messaging: no tailpipe emissions. You don't have to examine the power grid, the mining operations, the full lifecycle. You just look at the car itself. "It's simple. And whether the energy is green or not to power your car is irrelevant because you only have to look at the vehicle itself," he explained.
Mazda's own position in Europe has been turbulent. Sales dropped 11.9 percent in the first nine months of the 2026 fiscal year, a decline Ten Brink attributes to a 14-to-16-month gap between the end of the previous CX-5 generation and the launch of the new one. But the relaunch of that model, combined with the introduction of the CX-6e electric crossover, has shifted momentum. The company expects roughly 25 percent growth this year compared to last.
The broader environment remains treacherous. American protectionism, European regulation, and Chinese manufacturers expanding globally with aggressive pricing create what Ten Brink calls a "really difficult" landscape. Mazda is responding through partnerships and joint ventures—including its long-standing collaboration with Chinese automaker Chongqing Changan on electric vehicles—because, as he notes, no single company can do everything alone. The puzzle is not just what to build but where to build it, a calculation that shifts with every political wind.
In Spain, at least, Mazda has found solid ground. Ten Brink expressed satisfaction with the market's performance and the company's network, brand image, and customer loyalty there. But across Europe, the company remains caught between regulatory mandates that push toward electrification and market realities that suggest customers want options. That tension will likely define the automotive industry's next chapter.
Notable Quotes
It's a shame that Europe has centered its interpretation of carbon neutrality on the electric. I would have preferred a broader interpretation.— Martijn Ten Brink, Mazda Motor Europe president
Although an electric vehicle is fantastic in many ways, I'm not sure it's carbon neutral, and I'm not sure the supply chains and R&D development are the best solution for the planet.— Martijn Ten Brink
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
When Ten Brink says Europe chose the "easy option," what does he actually mean by that?
He means that electric vehicles are easy to regulate and easy to measure. You look at the tailpipe—or the absence of one—and you're done. You don't have to think about where the electricity comes from, how the battery was made, or whether the overall system is truly cleaner. It's a simple story to tell.
But isn't that a bit unfair? Electricity grids are getting cleaner everywhere.
Fair point. But his argument is that by making the rule so narrow, Europe didn't push the industry to innovate on those other problems. They just said: make it electric. So everyone made it electric, in the most expensive way possible, and now demand is lower than expected.
Why would hybrid technology be better, though? Isn't it just a compromise?
Not necessarily. A hybrid uses less fuel because the electric motor handles low-speed driving and captures energy from braking. For most European drivers, that's actually more practical than a pure electric car, especially if you live somewhere without great charging infrastructure. And it requires less mining for batteries.
So Mazda is betting that the market wants hybrids more than regulators want pure electrics?
Exactly. Mazda is trying to serve both—they're building electric cars too—but they're reading the actual demand signal from customers and responding to it. The regulators set the rules, but the market is saying something different.
Is Ten Brink arguing that Europe should change its rules?
Not explicitly. He's saying the rules were too narrow from the start. A broader definition of carbon neutrality would have allowed multiple pathways, which would have sparked more innovation and given companies more options. Instead, everyone converged on the same expensive solution.
And now what? Can that change?
Unlikely in the near term. The regulations are already written. But if demand keeps favoring hybrids and electric sales disappoint, there will be pressure to reconsider. Mazda is positioning itself to survive either scenario.