According to the plan of Japanese engineers, as noted by the Nikkei Asian Review, as part of a hybrid power plant, a rotary engine can serve as a drive for a generator that generates electricity to rotate the wheels through electric motors. The first carrier of the unusual power plant will be the compact MX-30 crossover, which will be modernized in 2022.

The basic version of the MX-30 has been sold since 2020 as an electric vehicle with a range of no more than 200 km. This characteristic is forcing many potential consumers to lose interest in this electric vehicle, but Mazda expects to double the range by adding a rotary internal combustion engine to the power plant. It is characterized by high revs and high power density, compact size and low vibration. A separate problem is the door layout of the MX-30 model – the rear sash swings open against the direction of travel, which makes it problematic to use in narrow spaces, and for women with children who often choose compact crossovers, the door is too heavy. What will be done to eliminate this problem, the source does not specify.

Further evolution of the Mazda lineup will follow two parallel paths. Small vehicles will include electric vehicles and all types of hybrids, including variants with a rotary engine. In the “big” class Mazda will focus on the use of internal combustion engines with six cylinders with a volume of more than three litres, including diesel. Such power plants will be equipped with large rear-wheel-drive sedans and large crossovers. With their help, Mazda expects to approach the premium price segment, but whether there will be enough connoisseurs of classic internal combustion engines by 2025 remains a big question, given the tightening of environmental standards around the world. To formally meet these requirements, Mazda will transform its flagship models into “soft” hybrids.