AIMS: Rotary gets range-extender stay of execution
Mazda boss says range-extender duties will give rotary a reprieveMazda CEO and Chairman, Takashi Yamanouchi, has given the best indication yet that his company has time to save the rotary. And ironically, the engine technology – notorious for its high fuel consumption and poor emission performance – will likely be saved by a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV).
Mazda ceased production of the RX-8 earlier this year meaning that no rotary-powered car exists in its range.
Speaking during a private media dinner of the eve of today's opening of the 2012 Australian International Motor Show, Mazda boss Yamanouchi-san stated, that the rotary would return to the Mazda line-up as a range-extending powerplant for an as yet unnamed BEV. In such a set-up the rotary engine would not power the wheels directly, but rather be linked with a simple generator.
"Next year we will market an electric vehicle with a rotary engine as a range-extender," Yamanouchi-san told motoring.com.au.
"A rotary engine running at a constant speed of 2000rpm provides very good fuel economy, low vibration and [in a BEV installation] the advantage of being very compact.
"In a range-extending application it has high potential," he said.
Yamanouchi-san said the rotary range-extended car would be limited to the Japanese domestic market. He stated it was unlikely any other carmakers would share the rotary range-extender technology.
"Right now we will have to do it ourselves," he said.
But fans of iconic Mazda sporties such as the RX-3, RX-4 and RX-7 shouldn't give up hope for a pure rotary sportscar return.
Says the Mazda boss: "It's still a possibility – we haven't given up yet.
"To make a return we have to increase economy and low-speed torque. We are exploring this via increases in [combustion] chamber size and also via bigger displacement of the eccentric [output] shaft.
"We still consider rotary to be an iconic technology of ours," Yamanouchi-san stated.
Latest news from the 2012 Australian International Motor Show at www.motoring.com.au
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