Mazda has announced they will speed up their research and development activity on the rotary engine (RE), already used in the MX-30 R-EV and presented as the powertrain of the concept Iconic SP shown to use on future electrified models.
The new “RE Development Group” will take care of going on making its rotary engine evolve, equipping it with ideal sizes to be used as a generator in electrified models, carrying out research and development activities in areas such as conformity with regulations in primary markets and the use of zero-emission fuels.
Speaking of the new team, Ichiro Hirose – Director, Senior Managing Executive Officer, and Chief Technology Officer (CTO) – declared: «In the electrification era and a society featuring zero carbon emissions, together with our challenging spirit, we promise we will continue to offer appealing cars that thrill customers».
Recently, for the first time Mazda restarted the production of cars with rotary engines, eleven years after the exit from the scene in 2012 of the Mazda RX-8, equipping the MX-30 with a motor-generator unit that is the core of its first mass-produced PHEV system. Released in Japan and Europe, the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is the twelfth Mazda model with a rotary engine.