MAZDA

Mazda Motor Corporation to accelerate research and development work on rotary engines

Mazda Motor Corporation will accelerate research and development work on rotary engines, now adapted to the new era, as part of its efforts to continue providing the so-called 'automotive pleasure', with solutions suited to the times, aiming to achieve a society carbon neutral.

To this end, the Japanese manufacturer this week reintegrated the 'RE Development Group' into the Powertrain Technology Development Department of Powertrain Development Division, in the original), a prelude to the continuity of its history in the field of rotary engines. In its new composition, the group will continue to develop rotary engines used as generators and carry out research and development in areas such as regulatory compliance in key markets, as well as the application of carbon-neutral fuels.

Commenting on this step, Ichiro Hirose, Senior Managing Executive Officer & Chief Technology Officer (CTO), Mazda Motor Corporation, said, “In Mazda’s history, the rotary engine is a special symbol of our ‘spirit of challenge’. We are deeply grateful to everyone who has supported the rotary engine to date, and are pleased to announce the rebirth of the organization developing this engine that has been loved by customers around the world. Over the past six years, rotary engine engineers have been part of the rotary engine development organization, striving to develop the most advanced functions of the internal combustion engine, as well as seeking the highest efficiency improvements. These engineers have broadened their perspective beyond the limits of the systems they integrate, training to master ‘Model-Based Development’, one of Mazda’s engineering strengths. Thus, 36 engineers will be integrated into a single group to achieve a major advance in the research and development of rotary engines. In an era of electrification and a carbon-neutral society, and through our ‘spirit of challenge’, we promise to continue offering attractive cars that excite customers.”

Relying on a unique structure, which generates energy through the rotation of one (or more) triangular rotors, rotary engines appeared at Mazda through the Cosmo Sport (110S), a model revealed in May 1967, which was followed by multiple other proposals, from mass production models (the last was the RX-8, whose production ended in June 2012), to concept cars, without forgetting vehicles aimed at the world of motorsport, such as the 787B, victorious at Le Mans in 1991.

Over all these years, the Hiroshima manufacturer has always sought to improve its performance in terms of power, exhaust gas purification, fuel consumption and durability, remaining the only car manufacturer to produce engines mass rotators.

Around 11 years later, Mazda announced the return of the rotary engine, in June 2023, the month in which it resumed mass production of vehicles with this integrated technology. It did this from a new perspective, now operating as a power generator for the batteries of the new Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, which became its 13th production model equipped with this solution that remains unique on the market , a proposal already being commercialized in Japan and Europe.

As part of its core value ‘Human-Centered’, Mazda will continue to strive for excellence in ‘Driving Pleasure’, aiming to provide ‘The Pleasure of Living’ through the creation of exciting experiences in its customers’ everyday lives.

Autonews