The story of Mazda with rotary motors has been around for a long time, and the arrival of a new version of this technology adapted to the new times was expected.. The brand had promised it for the Brussels Hall (Belgium) and it has not let us down.
The new block debuts in the new series plug-in hybrid, also known as extended-range electric, called Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EVwhich joins the electrified Mazda family by MX-30 e-Skyactiv 100% electric.
As it is already becoming common in the brand, this new model is an absolute rarity within the industry.
While plug-in hybrid technology is quite mainstream today, the fact that it is associated with a rotary engine is something that only Mazda seems to be able to doa brand that has stood out for going against the current of all trends in the sector.
rotary engine
Mazda Cosmos.
The motor wankel The rotary motor was patented by the German engineer Felix Heinrich Wankel in 1929. The revolution of his concept was that unlike a conventional Otto cycle engine, where the crankshaft rotates around the cylinder block, in this case the crankshaft remains static and it is the block that rotates around it.
Its advantages were extensive: compact size, lightness, smoothness, and the ability to spin at high revs. However, its low torque and other technical limitations meant that this engine system was abandoned by the brands, except for Mazda, which in 1967 released the cosmoappropriating this technology and making it one of its flagships with the sports cars of the RX line.
Le Mans winning Mazda 787B.
One of the crowning moments for the brand and rotary engines occurred at the 1991 24 Hours of Le Mans, when the Mazda 787B became the first Japanese model to win the iconic endurance racea. In production models, the climax came with the RX-7 (FD), which was initially available with a 1.3-liter turbo with 252 Hp, and which eventually adopted an evolution that brought it up to 276 horsepower..
Between the launch of the Mazda Cosmo in 1967 and production of the RX-8 ending in 2012, Mazda produced more than 2 million rotary engines.
The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV
Let’s go back to the new Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV that debuts in Belgium. It has a series plug-in hybrid system (also known as extended-range electric), which is made up of an 8C gasoline rotary engine, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery with 17.8 kWh capacity.
The 125 kW (170 Hp) 192 lb-ft electric motor is responsible for moving the car, while the rotary motor acts as an electricity generator and has no mechanical connection to the wheels. It has a capacity of 830 cc, offers 55 kW of power (75 Hp) and it is placed in the front part under the hood, next to the electric motor-generator.
To power this combustion engine, the car has a 50-liter gasoline tank, which according to the brand offers a total autonomy of 600 kilometers.
The electricity generated by the engine is stored in the batteries, which alone offer up to 85 km of 100% electric range (WLTP). When it begins to empty, the generator motor starts and begins to extend the autonomy up to the aforementioned 600 km.
The battery has a bidirectional charging system, so the car can supply up to 1,500 watts of power to various electrical devices. Regarding the load, it supports charging in direct current up to 36 kWso it takes only 25 minutes to go from 0 to 80% charge, and it also offers alternating current charging, either on 7.4 or 11 kW chargers.
The brand highlights that this rotary engine technology was chosen “because of its unique ability to produce the required output from a small, lightweight, easily packaged unit”.
The Mazda MX-30 R-EV has three drive modes to suit different situations: Normal, EV and Charge.
It will be offered in Europe with the same equipment packages as the e-Skyactiv MX-30 fully electric: Prime-Lime, Exclusive-Line and Makoto. There will also be a launch edition called the R Edition, with unique exterior and interior design features such as a Jet Black (black) color scheme with Maroon Rouge (red) side pillars and a black roof.
The mark indicates that “The Maroon Rouge accent color pays homage to the roof color of the Mazda R360, Mazda’s first passenger car.”
Inside, the front seat headrests are embossed with the revolving symbol and Edition R name, while the floor mats feature the revolving insignia and a single 2.6mm white line of stitching that matches the width of the headrests. rotor apex seal grooves. The same nod to rotor apex seals can be found on the sculpted sides of the key, which also features horizontal sides that curve at the same angle as the sides of the rotor.
All versions of the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV feature a specific rotor badging on the front wings and an e-Skyactiv R-EV badging on the tailgate.
Prices in Europe range from 38,000 to 44,000 euros, depending on the markets.
