The rotary engine returns! In an electric car…

Mazda today unveils a model with, yes, a rotary engine! It’s the MX-30. And yes, this is an electric car.

Okay, the news isn’t very groundbreaking. We’ve known for years that Mazda was planning to release an MX-30 with a rotary engine. So today is the moment.

generator

It pulls the curtain from the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. According to Mazda, it is a plug-in hybrid. So not fully electric? Well, actually yes, because the electric motor also provides the drive here. The Wankel engine will have a different function. It serves as a generator and thus generates electricity, which is then used again by the electric motor.

It may sound awkward, but it’s a well-known recipe in the automotive world. The new Honda Civic is one such example. In almost all cases, this car is also powered by an electric motor, and the four-cylinder in the nose almost always acts as a generator. The well-known PHEVs from Mitsubishi work in a similar way.

Range

Back to the MX-30. This is a compact crossover from Mazda that was launched in 2020 as an all-electric model. Small problem with this car: the driving range. That should no longer be a problem with this e-Skyactiv R-EV.

Where the all-electric version without a Wankel engine has a 35.5 kWh battery, this variant will have a smaller one. The battery measures 17.8 kWh and is itself good for a range of 85 kilometers. But with the additional Wankel engine and an accompanying 50-liter tank, the total range of the R-EV version is 600 kilometers.

Stronger

Incidentally, the MX-30 is also a bit stronger with this so-called range extender. The electric motor now delivers 170 hp instead of 145 hp. The small Wankel engine delivers 74 hp, but never drives the wheels. Why does Mazda choose a rotary engine as a range extender? Such a power source is relatively small for the power it delivers.

Mazda also immediately introduces a new version of this e-Skyactiv R-EV. It’s called Edition R. If you choose this version, you’ll get Maroon Rouge Metallic paintwork. That was of course thought of. This is a nod to the color of Mazda’s first passenger car, the R360 coupe. In addition, the Edition R is full of black tones. The floor mats also feature a rotor-shaped emblem. Very nice.

motor show

It is not yet clear when exactly this variant will be launched. The model can be admired at the Brussels Motor Show.