When Mazda published the highlights of what it calls “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030,” just about everybody in the automotive industry was left in awe. The big news is SkyActiv-X, which is dubbed as the first commercial gasoline engine to use compression ignition. And so, when will SkyActiv-X go official?
According to the launch plan for Mazda’s next-generation technologies, the gasoline-fed engine will go official in 2019. That same year, the Japanese automaker will introduce SkyActiv-Body Gen 2 and SkyActiv Chassis Gen 2, both of them integrated into the next generation of the Mazda3.
The 2019 Mazda3 is also the recipient of the overhauled Connect infotainment system, as well as Kodo – Soul Of Motion Gen 2 design language. For all intents and purposes, the next-gen model will bring together pretty much all the relevant technologies Mazda has prepared for the coming decade. These include some sort of mild-hybrid system, possibly of the 48-volt variety.
As it happens, 2019 will be a busy year for the Hiroshima-based manufacturer. Concomitantly with the all-new Mazda3, the company will step up its game with two battery-powered EVs. The first of two is an all-electric affair, while the second is confirmed to use some sort of range extender.
According to various reports and a tell-tale patent filing, the internal combustion engine could be of the rotary variety. And as a brief refresher, Mazda is working with Toyota for making its electric dreams come true.
Moving on to 2020, that’s when Mazda plans to introduce Co-Pilot Concept. By Co-Pilot, the automaker refers to autonomous driving technology. By the year 2025, Mazda plans to make Co-Pilot standard across the model lineup.
Also in 2020, Mazda will debut the SkyActiv-D Gen 2. At the present moment, the turbo diesel engine family consists of two choices: 1.5 and 2.2 liters. Last, but certainly not least, Mazda will launch some sort of plug-in hybrid vehicle in the period that reads “2021 and beyond” in the featured slide.
What the slide pictured above doesn’t mention, however, is that the next BT-50 mid-size pickup truck will be based on Isuzu’s third-generation D-Max.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?
Google News