Something that the general public hardly knows what it is, but which certain subcultures go wild about: the Wankel engine. If you belong to the first group and you accidentally clicked on this article, check out this video that clearly shows how such a Wankel engine works. If you belong to the latter group, we have good news: the Wankel engine will return in the Mazda MX-30 R-EV.
If you’ve been following the news for the past two years, you know that it’s not about a new sports car with a Wankel engine, but a new version of the electric Mazda MX-30. The Japanese brand wants to use the unique combustion engine as a generator to charge the battery while driving. For example, the range of 200 kilometers with petrol can be increased.
Why a Wankel engine in the Mazda MX-30 R-EV?
The Wankel engine (often referred to as a rotary engine) has two advantages: it is very compact and it runs very vibration-free. The Wankel engine could therefore do its job unnoticed as a range extender. Unfortunately, the exact technical specifications of the Wankel engine are not yet known, but we don’t have to wait long for that. In January of 2023 it will be on the stock exchange floor in Brussels.
It raises questions
Although it is ‘unfortunately’ not a sports car, the technology is no less interesting. The wankel engines of yesteryear always consumed some oil – do electric drivers have to top up oil regularly or has Mazda come up with something? And what about the fuel consumption of the new generation of rotary engines?
Moreover, Wankel engines suffer from an image of unreliability. Problems with the engine often arise if the owner does not handle it properly. Now that the engine is not controlled by the driver, are all reliability problems immediately solved? And if Mazda develops the perfect Wankel engine – will there still be a sports car?
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