Let’s face it, Mazda’s first foray into EVs wasn’t a massive success. However, the Hiroshima-based company worked hard and and found an original way to boost MX-30 sales. Mazda’s engineers decided to use a rotary engine ! Rotary engines have long been a Mazda unique trademark and in this case it seems rather well suited to the job. It recharges the battery on the move when they it’s empty. How does that work ?
Launching a lighter electric car was not bad idea to start with but the MX-30’s limited range unfortunately doomed it from day one. On top of that, charging took an awful time. Seeing one on the road was a bit like seeing a unicorn… until now ! The Japanese way of thinking is always to get over a failure and the engineers quickly came with a solution. Of course, installing an ICE to drive a generator feeding electricity to a battery sending it to an electrical engine mechanically connected to the front wheels of a car is not really a novelty. However, Mazda always does things its own way…here comes the brand’s famous rotary engine. Being quite compact and vibrations-free, it’s pretty well suited for the task.
Compact and light
The 8C single-rotor engine displacement is 830 cc. The rotor has a 120 mm radius while its thickness is 76 mm and the 2.5 mm rings should make sure it gets a long life. The case is made of aluminium and Mazda claims it’s 15 kg lighter than the Mazda RX-8 Renesis birotor. As we have already said, it’s compact and mating it to the generator and electrical motor makes a single unit that’s just 84 cm wide. It features direct injection (a rotary engine first) as well as gas recirculation system to improve efficiency, better monitor fuel consumption and reduce emissions. Its 11.9:1 compression ratio is higher than most piston engines, placing fuel efficiency over sheer power.
Indeed, there’s nothing to get too exited about here with a mere 74 bhp at 4,700 rpm and a 116 Nm torque value. However, if you remember the BMW i8 or Nissan’s e-Power system, which work in the same way, they don’t have impressive figures. Compared to the first electric only version, the battery capacity got reduced from 35.5 kWh to 17.8 kWh. Charging can be done with alternative (11 kW) or direct current (35 kW) and should be complete either in 25 or 50 minutes depending on the charger. This battery then powers the electric motor, which produces a 170 bhp/125 kW maximum power and a 260 Nm torque. Mazda claims a 85 km range in electric mode. Using both engine, the SUV’s range is a claimed 600 km.
Welcome aboard
You might have forgotten that the Mazda MX-30 has small rear doors and think you’re sitting in a 3-door car. Facing the driver is an attractive three-spoke steering wheel, which remains commendably uncluttered. There are just a few switches on its spokes : cruise control, sound volume and dashboard display. The dashboard is a simple affair sober. The screens are not too big, a welcome change in a motoring world where screen size is now more important than tech specs. Mind you, we wonder why so much space is devoted to the screen under located under the central air vents as it only monitors the aircon. The raised centre console still features a big central knob to monitor the central screen. This one caters for satnav, the various media and vehicle-related functions, including all the ADAS.
Three driving modes are available: Normal, EV and Charge. In Normal mode, the internal combustion engine is switched off and only comes into play when the battery is down to about 45% of its capacity if the driver demands more power by pushing on the right pedal. EV mode means moving using the battery in low-emission zones, for example. Finally, Charge mode forces the rotary engine to charge the battery giving it enough power to ensure the car can move in electric mode later on. However, let’s not forget the MX_30 is a PHEV too, so above all it needs to be recharged as much and as often as possible to make sure the combustion engine isn’t needed very often. There’s a 50-liter petrol tank and a 350 liters boot.
Well-sorted chassis
Even if there are 170 bhp available, top speed is electronically limited to 87 MPH. Therefore, you should forget about anything remotely sporty one aboard this dynamic-looking SUV. However, it was a real pleasure to drive in the Munich area and on Bavarian countryside open curves. Eventually, we are pleased driving pleasure is back at Mazda ! For example, the latest CX_60 is a good car indeed but it is devoid of any driving pleasure. The perfectly balanced MX-30 chassis is a major factor even if we shouldn’t forget the engine’s is a small one. Even more so when we plan to overtake other vehicles.
However, in everyday use, this engine is more than adequate. The MX-30 R EV weighs 1,778 kg. That’s 130 kg more than the electric version and 320 kg heavier than the ICE version which is only available in Japan… hey, we didn’t tell you about it. When we got behind the wheel of our test car, it showed a 37 miles electric range and another 217 miles using the petrol engine. However, we don’t know how the car had been used before us. What’s more, it was a pre-production car and as such hit means there’s still room for improvements.
With its distinctive fake 3-door architecture, the Mazda MX-30 still looks good but it now offers a much more comfortable up to 600 km range, obviously depending on how heavy footed the driver is. That’s enough to take away the range anxiety usually associated with an electric car. The €37,070 base price is the same as the electric version, this version no longer benefiting from the electric car’s reduced tax break. However, the car’s modest powertrain means fiscal power is just 9bhp in Belgium and that keeps running costs at a low level. Reducing running costs even further is possible if the battery is charged as often as possible. Don’t expect adult passengers to fit inside for very long journeys, though. The lack of headroom and short wheelbase as well as very poor visibility will see to that. (Translation: Dimitri Urbain)
