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New Mazda Rotary Engine Confirmed, MX-30 With Range Extender Coming 2022

The MX-30 is not your typical electric vehicle. The rear doors are quirky, no doubt about that, but the biggest difference over Mazda’s first mainstream EV compared to the competition is the philosophy that went into the all-electric crossover.
2022 Mazda MX-30 SkyActiv-R official confirmation 30 photos
Photo: Mazda on YouTube
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The Japanese manufacturer decided on a “right-sized battery strategy” because of the environmental impact of the MX-30 over the life of the vehicle. From the extraction of raw materials to the car’s disposal, the newcomer is meant to be as sustainable as possible. Yes, well-to-wheel emissions are of the essence here.

Although it doesn’t match the competition in terms of driving range, the 35.5-kWh battery provides a balance between day-to-day usability and environmental benefits. The question is, why did Mazda choose to add a range-extended option in 2022, centered around a rotary? It's one of the most inefficient engine designs of all time!

The truth of the matter is, the Hiroshima-based company hasn't offered any explanation about the preference for Wankel over straight or V designs. All we know is that Mazda is "developing multiple levels of electrification to be used according to regional and customer demands" according to chief executive officer Akira Marumoto.

In the following video and the attached press release, the CEO didn’t mention a thing about the rotary-engined RX revival either. There are reports according to which the RX-9 would get the SkyActiv-R while other people suggest that a straight-six engine with mild-hybrid electrification and/or an e-turbo is the more adequate choice.

What baffled me personally is that Mazda doesn’t appear to have taken a hint from BMW regarding the downfall of range-extended cars. The i3 REx was discontinued two years ago because of technological advancements for the pure-electric version, and Chevrolet has also pulled the plug on the Voltec system of the Volt over dwindling sales.

Mazda is already pushing the limits of internal combustion with the SkyActiv-X, and in a few years, the SkyActiv-3 engine is targeting 56 percent thermal efficiency. Given these circumstances, I’d very much like for the Japanese automaker to explain why the SkyActiv-R makes sense as a range extender.

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Editor's note: Press release was translated with Google Translate from Japanese.

press release
About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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