Mazda and its first electric car planned for 2020

Mazda wasn’t easy to convince when it came to creating an electric car. They didn’t consider this technology useful for addressing climate change, which they support through their “Well to Wheel” concept. Surprisingly, Autocar magazine reported at the auto show that Mazda is preparing its electric car for 2020. Mazda was perplexed by electric cars. Faced with pressure from governments worldwide to convince people to use electric vehicles, Mazda wasn’t easy to persuade. For a long time, they proposed developing more fuel-efficient gasoline engines, supposedly cleaner than electric vehicles. Because of their “Well to Wheel” concept, they tried to consider a vehicle’s CO2 emissions over its entire life cycle, not just while it’s being driven. Through their plan called “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030,” the company plans to reduce its CO2 emissions by 50%. Of course, due to growing consumer demand, Mazda had to catch up with its competitors and is thus preparing its first electric car.

A creation well underway

The new Mazda 3, which was highly anticipated by the public, was overshadowed by a more than unexpected piece of news. Indeed, Mazda has always been reluctant to create an electric car with wireless electric charging . And yet, journalists managed to obtain this crucial information from the European head of design, Jo Stenuit.

The company is proposing a vehicle with a distinctive design that doesn’t copy existing electric cars. Indeed, there’s a tendency to portray electric cars as cold, stereotypical vehicles. Mazda’s design director agrees with this assessment. They don’t want to create a digital car, but rather a truly new Mazda. For now, we don’t really know what this future invention will look like. There will likely be a car version and a VUE version; the former will be fully electric, and the latter will be equipped with a rotary engine. This engine will serve to extend the vehicle’s range.

Implementation of a Rotary Engine for the Electric Car Automakers don’t generally use rotary or Wankel engines, but Mazda is heavily invested in them. They have long been considered too fuel-inefficient and not very airtight. When combined with an electric motor, they become a new type of internal combustion engine.The rotary engine thus allows for greater driving range. It’s optional, meaning it’s only used to extend the electric motor’s power. The rotary engine is not only lightweight but also more compact than a conventional piston engine. Furthermore, it’s very quiet and produces minimal vibration.

For its electric car, Mazda offers a range extender about the size of a shoebox. With a car range of 80 km, the extender will provide additional support. As the Vice President of Sales and Marketing for Mazda Europe explains, the average user travels 60 km before recharging in the evening. In reality, the 90 km range is then sufficient. However, to satisfy the most demanding drivers, the range extender will serve as a supplement.