Mazda Motor plans to revive mass production of cars with gasoline rotary piston engines (RPD) in the second half of 2022, the Nikkei newspaper reported, citing a source in the company.
The new RPD will be the first to receive the Mazda MX-30 compact crossover. The engine is used as part of a hybrid installation of a sequential type. In such systems, the internal combustion engine has no connection with the wheels, but is used to charge traction batteries through the generator, which feed the electric motor.
Conventional piston engines produce energy from the combustion of fuel in the cylinders and the reciprocating motion of the pistons. RPDs are arranged differently - in them the trihedral rotor rotates inside the cylinder and cut off the variable volumes of the chambers using three radial seals. This concept eliminates the need for a special gas distribution mechanism.
Recall that the Mazda MX-30 has been produced since 2020. The model is based on the compact CX-30. Currently offered with a mild hybrid installation, with a 2.0-liter gasoline unit (145 hp) and a 24-volt starter-generator, or in a pure electric vehicle modification (engine power - 145 hp, capacity batteries - 35 kWh, power reserve - 200-250 km).
It is expected that the installation of the RPD will double the "range" of the electric version of the MX-30, that is, on a full charge and a full tank, the car is able to overcome 400-500 km.
In the future, Mazda may begin installing the rotary engine on other models as part of the same hybrid scheme. What kind of cars it is, has not yet been specified.
Mazda was one of the few automotive companies in the world to mass-produce rotary piston engines. The first model with RPD was the Mazda Cosmo coupe, which appeared in 1967, the last one was the RX-8, which was discontinued in 2012. The advantages of RPD over conventional piston engines are low vibration levels, high power density, light weight, small dimensions, fewer parts. Disadvantages - faster wear of rubbing elements and seals, tendency to overheat, increased fuel consumption at low speeds, low maintainability.
Mazda to revive rotary engines before the end of 2022
