Mazda’s rotary engine officially returns but not as you know it
Brussels – Mazda’s rotary engine, with its unique three-sided rotor was considered quite revolutionary when it first hit the scene in 1967.
Although not particularly renowned for its reliability or its oil consumption for that matter, the engine based on Felix Wankel’s original design was smaller and lighter than an equivalently-powered piston engine. The rotary also made it into some iconic performance cars like the Mazda RX-7.
The last time we saw a rotary was in the RX-8, which was axed in 2012. But now, just over a decade later, Mazda is reviving this engine format in the MX-30 e-Skyactive R-EV, although it doesn’t actually power the car.
Unlike the regular MX-30, which is fully electric, the R-EV is something of a plug-in hybrid but instead of switching between power sources, it is propelled solely by a 125kW electric motor. However, it also has a 830cc rotary engine, which drinks petrol from a 50-litre tank and acts as a generator that can extend the range to around 644km.
Its 17.8kWh battery is akin to what you might find in a plug-in hybrid, and allows a claimed range of 85km between charges.
“With no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels, the rotary unit simply acts as a generator, ensuring the MX-30 R-EV always drives via the electric motor to deliver a seamless EV driving experience,” Mazda said.
But why did the Japanese company choose to go the rotary route for this generator?
Mazda said it opted for this engine-type due to its unique ability to produce the required output from a small, light and easily packaged unit. The rotary motor is positioned alongside the high-output motor in the engine bay.
The rotary engine’s compact size – its overall width is just 840mm – allowed it to fit beneath the bonnet without necessitating any changes to the MX-30’s body frame. Thanks to the use of aluminium, it is also 15kg lighter than the twin-rotor Renesis engine that was used in the RX-8.
The battery, meanwhile, is compatible with both AC charging and rapid DC charging, and in the latter case a charge is said to take as little as 25 minutes.
The vehicle has three driving modes: normal, EV and charge. EV keeps it running exclusively on battery power for as long as possible, while charge mode can be used to preserve battery power – if, for instance, the latter part of your journey involves city traffic.
Mazda also announced a limited edition launch model called the Edition R, of which just 400 will be made. Its Maroon Rogue colour accent pays homage to the roof colour of Mazda’s first passenger car, the R360.
Inside, the front-seat headrests are embossed with the rotary symbol and Edition R name, while the mats feature the rotary badge and a single white line of 2.6mm stitching matching the width of the rotor apex seal grooves.
A fitting tribute to the rotary motor, then. But, Mazda, we won’t complain if you revive the RX-7 one day, with full rotary propulsion.