Rotary revival to help Mazda EV

Mazda’s rotary engine will make a comeback in its 2019 electric car to extend range.

The Japanese firm revealed the engine technology it ditched in 2012 will be included on its new car, the next Mazda3, previewed by the Kai concept, The Sun reports.

The rotary engine will be used for both its plug-in hybrid models and as a generator for its pure electric model due in 2021.

Mazda commercialised rotary power in 1967 with the Cosmo Sport 110s, going on to make the better-known RX-7 and RX-8.

Because the three-tipped motor is smaller, lighter and produces less vibration than a traditional engine while delivering huge power for its size, the rotary is planned as a range-extender in a hybrid and as a generator in some markets to boost mileage on a pure electric car.

But the rotary, likely to be a larger and more powerful one, won’t be in a new sports car just yet.

Despite showing the RX-Vision concept that hints at a new sports car, Mazda representatives say it won’t come before 2020 at least.

“We cannot provide the RX-Vision to the market by 2020, because we do not have enough money to invest, to commercialise it,” Mazda senior managing executive officer and R&D head Kiyoshi Fujiwara said at the Tokyo Motor Show, The Sun

says.