Mazda has revealed a Mazda2 prototype electric car fitted with a small range-extender Wankel rotary engine to extend the range.
Mazda reveals Mazda2 EV with range-extender Wankel rotary engine
It’s long seemed logical that a compact Wankel rotary engine – running at a constant speed – would be a great way of fitting electric cars with a range-extender option.
Now, Mazda has done the sensible thing and revealed a Mazda2 prototype that gets an electric motor to power the wheels as well as a small 0.33 litre Wankel engine to charge the batteries and give an extended range.
The Mazda2 RE Range Extender is viewed by Mazda as a sensible use of the Wankel rotary engine as it can run at constant speed with little noise and run on a variety of fuels.
In the Mazda2 RE the Wankel is fitted under the boot floor and doubles the 124 mile range of the Mazda2 EV, and even then you can be back on the road with a quick fill-up of the fuel tank even when you run low on juice.
Sadly, Mazda is only offering the Mazda2 RE as a prototype, but it seems the perfect way to bring the Wankel engine back to life and make the EV more appealing to ordinary motorists.
Victor says
I have a Nissan leaf (I leased it a year and a half ago) and I love the car, but I do have range anxiety. It happens to me about once a month when I pull into my drive-way with 0 to 3 miles of range left in the batteries. I was following the BMW I3 for the last year and two months. I was looking forward to leasing one but when I found out it would cost about $900 per month to lease one I got my feelings hurt and my hopes dashed. If Mazda brings the Mazda 2 range extender to market with a price tag of $35,000 or less I would replace the leaf in a heart beat. I looked at the Chevy Volt but the all electric range is not enough for me. BMW is the only one that has what I need (I don’t need that price). I am keeping my fingers cross and my hopes high that Mazda does more than bring out a proto type to tease me.