Fun but flawed, the 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV is the automaker’s first, tentative step on its path to a pure electric car.

Range anxiety, the fear of driving an electric car and running out of battery charge, is a real thing. Studies show it’s a top concern among people who are considering an electric vehicle. Yet the new 2022 Mazda MX-30 EV provides only about 160 kilometres of range—much less than its primary competitors, let alone the majority of modern electrics, can offer. What gives? We’ll explain.