Mazda’s rotary engine is back after 10 years. Still, it’s not quite what everyone expected. Now the Wankel engine is not for sports cars.
Company engineer Jason Fenske spoke at length about the new rotary engine and how it differs from its predecessor.
The rotary engine of the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV is a single-rotor engine. The new powerplant is not as revving and powerful as the twin-rotor RX-8 engine.
However, Mazda applied some interesting systems that made the engine special. According to Fenske, the fuel is now sprayed directly into the combustion chamber, which improves atomization. There is also an exhaust gas recirculation system that helps improve engine efficiency at low loads and at low revs.
In addition, Mazda now uses aluminum instead of steel side covers to reduce the weight of the engine, as well as a spray-on plasma ceramic coating to reduce wear and friction.
The bad news is that the engine now only spins the alternator and generates power for the battery. The battery in turn powers the electric motors that drive the wheels. That is, there is no direct connection between the engine and the driving wheels.
Photo, video: YouTube