Since the arrival of MX-30 electric in 2020, Mazda flirts with the concept of a small rotary engine in order to increase its autonomy. It took 3 years of waiting and online rumors for Mazda to finally unveil it for other markets. However, Mazda Canada has not yet confirmed its arrival with us.
At the time of writing, the Mazda MX-30 was only offered with an electric motor consisting of a battery with a usable capacity of 35.5 kilowatt hours. This powers a single motor installed on the nose gear; it develops 143 horsepower and produces 200 lb-ft of torque, for an advertised range of 161 kilometres.
Indeed, the MX-30 suffers from a range that is far too low for its starting price of $43,760 before applicable discounts are applied. Remember that a Chevrolet Bolt EV, which offers a range of more than 400 kilometers, currently sells for a starting price of $41,147.
The idea of a range extender therefore takes on its full meaning to allow the MX-30 to better position itself in its segment. It would be a very small rotary motor that would only activate when the vehicle is traveling at a constant speed, such as during a long highway trip, for example. This small engine would recharge the battery to improve its autonomy.
However, Mazda has not yet specified the displacement of this rotary engine. However, this engine would be very small, which would allow it to integrate well into the engine compartment of the MX-30 without necessarily affecting its weight distribution. Note that Mazda is the automaker with the most experience with the rotary engine. The manufacturer used it under the hood of several models, the RX-7 and the RX-8, in particular, sports cars having been marketed on a world scale for more than 30 years.
A new electrification plan
All of this fits well with Mazda’s recent announcements to review its electrification plan. The manufacturer has announced that it will present a new platform dedicated to electric vehicles by 2025. Mazda also plans to diversify its range by launching a total of eight new hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric models over the next two years. Mazda Canada has also confirmed that a CX-50 hybrid will soon be added to the range, as well as the CX-70 and CX-90 plug-in hybrids.
However, we do not know if this famous MX-30 R-EV equipped with a rotary engine is in the manufacturer’s plans here. We’ll get back to you with all the details as soon as we know more.
