The Wankel engine is ready to drive again.
Mazda has announced that it will introduce the first car with the brand’s unusual engine since 2012.
Instead of reciprocating pistons, Wankel rotary engines use a triangular rotor rotating in an oval chamber.
The design offers excellent power density and smooth operation, but at the cost of some efficiency and inferior emission performance.
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Mazda’s range extender logo is shaped like an engine rotor. (Mazda)
It gained prominence in the Mazda RX-7 lineup, but the last new car was the Mazda RX-8.
Since then, Mazda has continuously evolved the technology to bring it back. It will do just that at the Brussels Motor Show on January 13th, but not by itself.
Mazda still makes rotary engine parts for repairs. (Mazda)
Instead of being used as the primary power source, Mazda will offer it in a range-extended plug-in hybrid version of the MX-30 electric SUV.
The MX-30 is Mazda’s first electric vehicle and is currently offered in a version that offers just 100 miles of range between charges to keep battery weight and cost down.
The range-extended version, which will be launched in Europe for the first time this spring, does not use the rotor to drive the wheels, but as a gas-powered power generator for long journeys.
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It is similar in concept to the discontinued Chevrolet Volt and BMW i3 REx, which used four-cylinder and two-cylinder piston engines.
The MX-30 has a range of 100 miles between charges. (Mazda)
The gyroscope should be small, light and less intrusive than a piston engine when running, and its efficiency is optimized as it can operate at a constant speed rather than spinning up and down with speed changes. A logo for the released car features an “e” in the shape of a rotor.
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Mazda hasn’t announced if it will sell this model in the United States, but the CX-30 is only available in California, where local regulations require automakers to deliver a certain percentage of zero-emission models, while the extended range would make it more appeal to more customers.
Gary Gastelu is Fox News Digital’s automotive editor.