Confirmed: This is an all-electric Mazda MX-5 as the brand promises to "keep the joy of driving" in the EV era!

The Mazda MX-5 will live on in the EV era, with the brand's global CEO vowing to electrify every model in its line-up by 2030.

The news follows the brand's recent teasing of the Vision Study, a small and sporty-looking performance car that didn't feature any exhaust pipes, suggesting the model was electric.

Mazda at the time wouldn't be drawn on whether we were looking at the replacement for the MX-5, instead simply promising to "build a future filled with great energy and joy".

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But it seems it was in fact a teaser for a new and all-electric MX-5, with Mazda CEO Akira Marumoto telling US outlet Automotive News that the brand's performance vehicle would live on, and was a part of the plan to electrify all models by the end of 2030.

"For me, (the Vision Study) looks like the future MX-5. That's an expression of our commitment to customers that we will keep providing such exciting vehicles," he said.

If anyone knows, its Mr Marumoto, who alone holds the power to make the Vision Study a new MX-5 reality.

Exactly what that electrification looks like is yet to be seen. While the new MX-5, expected around the middle of the decade, will almost certainly be a hybrid model – and could even feature the brand's reborn rotary range-extender set to debut by the end of March - the confirmation points to an all-electric model following suit.

"To achieve carbon neutrality, we will proceed with electrification of those models. And we want to keep the joy of driving that is the essence of the Mazda brand. We will keep evolving that value. We are committed to continuing that," Mr Marumoto told Automotive News.

The MX-5, then, could become an electrified halo in the reborn Mazda go-fast line-up, with the car maker recently telling CarsGuide that a brand-wide performance revival was currently under study.

That was according to Yasuhiro Aoyama, Mazda's director and senior managing executive officer, who visited Australia for the launch of the new Mazda CX-60 plug-in hybrid SUV, which will officially launch in Australia next year.

The MX-5 could become an electrified halo car.

Mr Aoyama told CarsGuide that an opportunity existed in the high-performance space, and the brand was still considering how to approach it.

"Now we are still investigating a lot of opportunity, because we also understand that the accessory opportunity that can give us a large profit, and there should exist the certain level customer that is waiting for that derivative," he said.

"And recently in Japan we launched our Mazda Spirit Racing activities. So as a part of that we are investigating various opportunities over our future. We are studying various opportunities under that new brand."

Asked if future product would focus on accessories rather than a genuine change to vehicle performance (like Toyota has achieved with its GR program), Mr Aoyama said "significant changes to the vehicle we sell" were on the table.

"So we are investigating a lot of opportunities, so starting from accessory parts… to significant changes to the vehicle we sell, with the higher performance for the customer advantage. It’s under investigation as a part of Mazda Spirit Racing activities."