Mazda Motor Corp. has announced new electrification strategies as part of the company’s “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030″ vision.
Mazda will strive to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by deploying compact, lightweight electrification technologies while further refining the internal combustion engine. In addition, the company will introduce electric vehicles (EVs) in regions that generate a high ratio of electricity from clean energy sources or restrict certain vehicle types to reduce air pollution.
Specifically, the automaker has laid out the following plans:
- With a view to achieving a 90% reduction versus 2010 levels in its corporate average “well to wheel” CO2 emissions by 2050, Mazda will deploy some form of electrification in all production vehicles by 2030.
- By 2030, Mazda expects that internal combustion engines combined with some form of electrification will account for 95% of the vehicles it produces and that battery EVs will account for 5%.
- In-house development of EVs will leverage the advantages of electric drive systems and be guided by Mazda’s “human-centered development philosophy.”
- Mazda will develop two battery EVs, one powered only by battery and another that pairs a battery with a newly developed range extender powered by Mazda’s small, lightweight and quiet rotary engine. The range extender will recharge the battery when necessary to effectively increase the vehicle’s driving range. The concept behind the rotary-powered range extender is to leverage the rotary engine’s small size and high power output to make multiple electrification technology solutions possible via a shared packaging layout.
- Taking advantage of the rotary engine’s compatibility with gaseous fuels, the rotary-powered range extender is also designed to burn liquefied petroleum gas and provide a source of electricity in emergencies.