For many purists, Mazda will always be associated with the rotary engine first introduced by the company in 1967 Cosmo Sport, and later a series of sports cars with RX logo were introduced. Over the years, rotary engines have played an important role in Mazda's history, including providing power for the Le Mans championship. Earlier this year, the engine made a comeback as a range extender for the MX30 compact electric crossover. But can we see more powerful rotary engines on modern RX? At present, the biggest obstacle is still to increase production while making the engines with high fuel consumption comply with strict emission regulations. Mazda's last rotary-engine sports car, the RX-8, has only 232 horsepower, but it has a similar desire to the V-8.
This new patent shows that Mazda is considering hybrid technology as a possible solution for cars that directly provide rotating power for wheels. A patent submitted by Mazda to the US Patent and Trademark Office was announced this week. This patent introduces a hybrid power system in detail, in which the front rotor engine (12) is paired with the motor (16), and the two power units transmit the driving force to the drive axle (14c) and finally to the rear wheel (2a). As described in the hub motor, the other two motors (20) constitute the powertrain and provide all-wheel drive.
Last year, a similar patent received attention, but the latest patent provides more details about the electrical aspects of the power system. The two hub motors are described as 17 kW (23 HP) induction motors, while the motor paired with the rotating motor is described as 25 kW (36 HP) permanent magnet synchronous motor. Another interesting concept in the latest patent is to use the battery system (18) to store the recovered energy and provide power for the motor. This is a unique variable voltage system, and four independent 48V battery systems are packaged together to achieve an ideal weight distribution. The system operates independently during normal driving, but when peak power is needed, the switch can be connected to the battery to form a 96 volt unit. This design means that fewer high-voltage connections are needed, which helps to reduce weight.
Mazda did not mention the plan to launch a modern rotary engine sports car. Although there have been many hints over the years, the RX Vision concept car was finally launched on 20 15. All patent activities show that Mazda has not given up the idea of developing a rotary-engine sports car even in a world where emission standards are constantly tightening.