After making a splashy exhibiting on the Japan Mobility Present in October with their Iconic SP idea automobile, Mazda president Katsuhiro Mogo introduced on the latest Tokyo Auto Salon that his firm will recommence rotary engine growth on Feb. 1.
In accordance with Japanese Nostalgic Automobile, Mogo addressed his firm’s choice to reignite its rotary engine growth group. “We acquired loads of help and encouragement,” he defined after debuting their Iconic SP idea on the Japan Mobility Present. “I’m very joyful and really moved. Together with your encouragement, we are going to launch a rotary engine growth group” in order that Mazda can “deliver this dream nearer to actuality.”
Mogo additionally revealed that the core group of Mazda’s rotary engine growth crew will encompass 30 engineers.
What Is a Rotary Engine?
This is a refresher for these unfamiliar with how a rotary engine works. A rotary engine is an inner combustion engine (ICE) like those usually discovered underneath the hood of the gas-powered automobiles most of us drive. Nonetheless, in contrast to standard piston ICEs, rotary engines make the most of a novel consumption, compression, combustion, and exhaust strategy. Whereas the pistons in a typical ICE alternately facilitate all these features, a rotary engine designates 4 components of its housing to function these features, based on How Stuff Works.
One of the crucial iconic manufacturing automobiles to ever efficiently use a rotary engine was the 1978 Mazda RX-7, although it was not the primary manufacturing car to make use of this various ICE. That is why there’s a lot pleasure over Mazda’s announcement that they’re bringing the rotary engine again. It is an unbelievable a part of their legacy.
Nonetheless, How Stuff Works additionally factors out that there are some challenges with the rotary engine that common piston ICEs don’t battle with:
- Rotary engines have a difficult time assembly U.S. emissions requirements.
- They’re dearer to construct than piston ICEs.
- They aren’t gasoline environment friendly.
What Might Make Mazda’s Rotary Engine Completely different This Time?
In accordance with a report from Motor Development, Mazda’s “many years of expertise of working rotary engines on hydrogen” may very well be the important thing right here. Whereas this hypothesis is smart as a consequence of Mazda’s engineering historical past, it is essential to notice that hydrogen has had a difficult run within the automotive world. (Have a look at California’s battle to arrange hydrogen gasoline stations.)
Nonetheless, Motor Development’s report additionally notes that Mazda has been experimenting with hydrogen rotary hybrid powertrains and {that a} newer patent from the Japanese automaker alludes to utilizing a three-rotor design to operate as a spread extender. Even with its drawbacks (hydrogen is mostly inefficient to supply, and the refueling infrastructure wants a ton of enchancment earlier than it may very well be a viable possibility for many drivers), it might function a inexperienced gasoline.
Nonetheless, if Mazda’s 30 engineer crew can discover a strategy to meet these challenges, they’re going to have one wildly cool high-performance hydrogen coupe. Would not that be refreshing as an alternative of simply giving the world one other electrical automobile?
