Mazda MX-30 with new rotary engine range extender is round the corner

FRANKFURT: Mazda is set to reveal an MX-30 SUV with a rotary engine range extender at the Brussels Motor Show

Available on the European market from the spring this year the unique plug-in hybrid powertrain of Mazda’s compact crossover will feature an electric generator powered by a newly-developed rotary engine. At present, the MX-30 is available as a battery electric vehicle (BEV) with limited range.

The latest move appears to be an attempt by Mazda to introduce a variant of the model that offers greater overall range while giving its owners the convenience of faster refuelling from existing petrol stations.

The compact rotary engine doesn't drive the wheels. As the range extender, it  powers an electric generator that charges the battery, which supplies the vehicle’s electric motor to actually turn the wheels and propel the car.

In all likelihood, the new MX-30 variant that will be unveiled on Jan 13 will have equivalent output numbers as its BEV sibling at 143hp and 271Nm of torque. The electric motor would remain the same but the EV's 35.5-kWh battery would have to be downsized to allow for a fuel tank to be fitted.