It was an open secret that Mazda would, sooner or later, bring back its famous rotary engine. And it has done so with the new MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, a compact plug-in hybrid SUV with innovative technology, completely different from other brands.
It is interesting to explain that Mazda invented the rotary engine and launched it on the market in 1967 with the Cosmo Sport model, an elegant two-seater sports car that continues to arouse admiration even today. The Cosmo Sport was a key moment in the history of the automobile due to the daring of the Hiroshima manufacturer, a legacy of innovation that endures and has given Mazda great satisfaction, such as the victory at Le Mans in 1991 with the 787B, the only brand which has achieved it with a rotary engine.
With the new MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, Mazda has opted for a different solution, with an idea similar to that used in its day in the Opel Ampera and Chevrolet Volt. That is, a kind of extended-range electric that can be plugged in. It is a perfectly valid path until total electrification arrives and that avoids the user's exclusive dependence on electricity.
Mazda designed the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV as a plug-in hybrid model that brings together the best features of fully electric vehicles and series hybrids, to offer its customers more possibilities to enjoy an electric vehicle.
Both for those who live on the outskirts, in search of a more natural environment, and travel to the center to work, as well as the opposite: those who live in urban environments and escape on weekends... regardless of the style of life. life, drivers aware of the future of the planet who want to contribute to sustainability through their lifestyle will find the MX-30 the right alternative.
What makes the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV unique is that it uses a rotary engine to generate electricity. This engine symbolizes the manufacturer's vocation to break with the established, and mixes equal parts passion for new challenges and perseverance to overcome difficulties.
Mazda believes plug-in hybrids are a realistic solution to the electric vehicle range problem. Currently, the best-selling plug-in hybrid models use a parallel hybrid system that combines an electric motor and an internal combustion engine. Instead, the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV uses a series hybrid system: the propulsion is fully electric, but a very compact combustion engine has been added that acts as an electric generator and eliminates concerns about range. And the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV has been developed to be used primarily as an electric vehicle.
The great advantage of the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is that the built-in battery, with a capacity of 17.8 kWh, can be charged with alternating current at a charging point or through the rotary motor. A small (75 HP) and light rotary engine that shares space in the engine compartment with the electric motor and the generator.
The driver has three different driving modes at his disposal. Normally, the rotary engine continuously generates power; EV, to take advantage of the energy stored in the battery; and Charging, the generator sends the energy produced by the heat engine to the battery. And, the most interesting thing is that at all times it is the electric motor that transmits power to the front wheels. And with a more powerful electric motor (170 HP in total) than the 100% electric version.
Mazda announces 85 km of autonomy, in WLTP approval, using exclusively the car's battery. That is, without using fuel (gasoline) during the entire journey, which could be up to 110 km in 100% urban use. On the other hand, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV also incorporates a bidirectional charger system located in the trunk to power other electrical devices through a 1,500 W outlet.
