It’s been 11 years clamor from car enthusiasts for Mazda to revive one of its most iconic products: the Wankel rotary drive. This system reached its peak of popularity powering the RX-7 and RX-8 sports cars as well
it was discontinued in 2012with the commercial purpose of this latest model.
Now the system returns in the compact SUV MX-30, in which
mainly acts as a generator for the electric battery of the plug-in hybrid version. According to the Hiroshima company, the new rotary engine produces 74 horsepower and is much more compact than a piston engine of comparable power.
deliveries of
MX-30 E-Skyactiv R-EV -the full name of the model- will launch in April, will cost around 38,000 euros and will only be marketed in Europe, where the brand already has the zero-emission version of the MX-30.
The plug-in hybrid version is associated with a 17.8 kWh lithium battery that gives it a
electric autonomy of 85 kilometers. According to Mazda, this will be sufficient for the daily driving needs of most of its customers.
Originally the beacon was envisioned as a longer-range system where it would be just a generator and provide no power to the wheels, but the plug-in hybrid saves size and weight on a smaller battery.
Mazda’s figures make a rational performance clear: given times
less than half an hour to charge on a fast charger and less than an hour in a three-phase 11 kW. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 9.1 seconds.
Since its introduction in 2020, the electric MX-30 has been a slow-selling model. This is partly due to the 35 kWh of its battery, a size that gives it a range of 200 km in the WLTP cycle, but which significantly outperforms its competitors. For example, the electric Hyundai Kona doubles that distance with a battery of 64 kWh.
Mazda was the first to introduce the rotary engine in its model
Cosmo Sports in 1967. Since then it has produced more than two million units, more than any other manufacturer.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
