Mazda introduces new environmental solutions

Mazda is tackling environmental concerns from several directions at once with its latest announcement of three new technological fixes aimed at reducing dependency on the petroleum industry.

For starters (so to speak), the Japanese manufacturer has developed an auto stop/start system for direct-injection petrol engines that will be introduced in European markets during the first half of 2009.

The system, named 'Smart Idle Stop System' (SISS), contributes as much as a nine per cent saving in fuel consumption and unlike similar systems from other manufacturers, stops pistons on compression and power strokes at precisely the right point for faster start-up and less fuel use. According to Mazda, the system 'indexes' the pistons before the starter motor operates, whereas other systems do this after the starter motor cranks the engine. With SISS, the engine starts twice as fast and the operation is both smoother and more frugal.

On the diesel engine technology front, Mazda's MZR-CD engine is a 2.2-litre four that is also set to be launched in Europe early next year. A common-rail turbodiesel, the new engine develops 400Nm of torque. Fuel efficiency gains result from ultra-high pressure fuel injectors, a lower compression ratio and a diesel particulate filter with a catalyst activation mechanism. The catalyst activation mechanism removes particulates more efficiently and the ceramic material used in the catalyst features a molecular structure that increases the rate of combustion of particulates and the catalyst regenerates faster also.

Along with SISS and the new diesel, Mazda has also announced a new plastic-moulding process that leads to lower vehicle weight and also reduces plastic resins in production by between 20 and 30 per cent. Cars built using this process produce fewer CO2 emissions during production, use less fuel and also produce fewer emissions on the road, thanks to the lighter weight. Mazda says that the new process, which can be applied to most plastic parts used throughout the car, does not compromise vehicle strength or rigidity.

The process relies on mixing the plastic resin with a foaming agent -- a 'Supercritical fluid' that is commonly available, such as nitrogen or (ironically) carbon dioxide -- to bond at a molecular level with the plastic resin and to produce a plastic that is both thicker and lighter, through what Mazda calls Core Back Expansion Moulding.

Mazda's development of this process aligns with its earlier work on biofabrics (more here) as a sign of the company's commitment to the environment. These three new initiatives form part of a broader plan for Mazda to improve fuel economy of every car sold by an average of 30 per cent by 2015.

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