Since the demise of the RX-8, Mazda has been struggling to revive its rotary engine despite it having a dedicated development team for the department. Last month we detailed the timeline of Mazda’s rotary rumours but if Automotive News’s report is anything to go by, it looks like said department has finally found its footing.
According to Mazda’s global powertrain head Mitsuo Hitomi, the rotary may be finding new life as a range extender for future EV models as previewed in the Mazda2 Rotary Engine Range Extender from 2013 which featured a 0,33-litre rotor re-purposed to supply power to an electric motor.
Hitomi-san stated that the rotary engine has the ideal characteristics to act as a range extender thanks to its compact, powerful and low-vibration characteristics. It also provides Mazda with a reason to keep the program alive in an automotive world that is now heavily clamping down on inefficient engines; something a conventional rotary is notable for.
Mazda is planning on introducing an EV and hybrid model by 2019. The EV will come in two forms; one will be a pure EV while the other will possess a range extender much like the current BMW i3. Hitomi-san goes on to say that these two variants will target two separate markets.
The pure EV will be intended for Japan, Europe and China where average travelling distances are relatively short while the range extender will be directed towards other markets where the distances are longer.
Furthermore, it has been made apparent that Mazda has already developed a vehicle architecture for the Eco-friendly models with a floor-plan that can accommodate batteries. Any future developments on this architecture from this point onward is expected to be in conjunction with Toyota given the two brands’ recent joint EV development deal.
As for that performance rotary that everyone is hoping for? Hitomi-san has confirmed that a dedicated team is working on developing a bigger rotary mill but it’s unlikely that this will be introduced anytime soon because there is a challenge in making a sensible business case for it. Getting the technology correct has not been a massive hurdle.
