To many purists, Mazda will perpetually be related to the rotary engine that the corporate first introduced within the 1967 Cosmo Recreation and after in a sequence of RX-badged sports activities vehicles.
All through the years, rotary engines have performed a vital section within the corporate’s historical past, together with powering a Le Mans winner, and previous this pace the engine made a comeback, as a length extender for the MX30 compact electrical crossover, although no longer within the U.S. marketplace.
However may we see a extra tough rotary in a contemporary RX? The most important hurdle left-overs getting the fuel-thirsty engine to conform to the stern emissions laws future additionally boosting output. Mazda’s endmost rotary sports activities automobile, the RX-8, had handiest 232 hp however a V-8-like desire.
Patent task suggests Mazda is taking a look at hybrid generation as a conceivable resolution for a automobile with a rotary at once powering the wheels.
Mazda patent describing a rotary hybrid powertrain
As first noticed through The Pressure, a patent filed through Mazda with america Patent and Trademark Place of business used to be revealed this hour and main points a hybrid machine the place a front-mounted rotary engine (12) is paired with an electrical motor (16), with the 2 energy devices sending force to a transaxle (14c) and in the long run the rear wheels (2a). Two extra electrical motors (20), described as in-wheel hub motors, whole the powertrain, and switch it into an all-wheel-drive setup.
A indistinguishable patent surfaced endmost pace however the untouched supplies a dozen extra constituent concerning the electrical aspect of the powertrain. The 2 in-wheel motors are described as 17-kw (23-hp) induction motors future the motor paired with the rotary is described as an enduring magnet synchronous motor with 25 kw (36 hp).
The untouched patent additionally has a captivating idea for the battery machine (18) to bind recovered power and tool the electrical motors. The machine is a novel variable-voltage machine the place 4 particular person 48-volt battery programs are packaged for best weight distribution. The programs office in my opinion all over customary using but if top energy is needed, switches can fix the batteries to method 96-volt devices. Any such design method fewer high-voltage connections are required, serving to to drop weight.
Mazda hasn’t made any point out of plans to forming a contemporary rotary sports activities automobile, although there were enough quantity of hints over time, culminating with the divulge of the RX-Visual idea in 2015. All the patent task means that Mazda hasn’t giving up at the thought of a rotary sports activities automobile, even in an international of ever tightening emissions requirements.
