Back loop. Mazda will debut a version of the MX-30 with the Wankel engine as a range extension on January 13 at the Brussels Motor Show. This model will be available in Europe in the spring.
Specific details on engine displacement and other mechanical details will likely arrive at the vehicle’s launch. Mazda previously said that the rotary runs at a constant speed as an extended range to recharge the battery while on the road. The company touts this solution as combining the benefits of an EV with the range of combustion-powered vehicles.
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This range is a shortcoming of the current version of the MX-30. The 35.5 kilowatt-hour battery gives the EPA an estimated range of 100 miles (161 kilometers). The rotary engine should help increase this figure but will increase the weight of the vehicle.
The MX-30 uses a single electric motor driving the front wheels which produces 144 horsepower (107 kilowatts) and 200 pound-feet (271 Newton-meters). The setup propels the vehicle to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) in 9.6 seconds and a top speed of 87 mph (140 kph).
Mazda’s announcement only mentions a rotary range-extender for the European market. In 2021, the automaker’s North American operations boss says a Wankel-equipped version will finally come to the US. He did not offer specific times for availability.
In America, Mazda limited the availability of the MX-30 EV to just 505 units and sells it exclusively in California. It’s unclear whether the company plans to bring more to the country for the 2023 model year.
Mazda’s use of the Wankel rotary engine began in the 1960s when the Japanese automaker licensed the technology from NSU. Mazda introduced the powerplant in the Cosmo which was displayed at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show.
The RX-8 was the last Wankel-powered car available to customers, and was retired in 2012. However, the company’s engineers continued development of the engine. They even patented a new innovation for the power plant.
For a deeper dive into the MX-30, check out this episode Rambling About Cars:
