Electric Vehicles

Mazda takes ‘unique’ approach to going electric

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Japanese carmaker Mazda has let the public in on its ‘unique’ approach to addressing the goal of reducing tailpipe emissions from its vehicles — and it involves making use of an electrified and low emission rotary engine.

As part of its ‘Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030’ long-term programme towards electrification that will see it play out its commitment to 50% reduction of 2010 levels of CO2 by 2030 and 90% by 2050, the automaker says its approach recognises the fact that for the time being, even 100% battery electric vehicles will still contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, depending on the means of local electric power generation.

Therefore, it believes that the best way to reduce CO2 emissions is to focus largely on improving the efficiency of its ICE range, by using a compression ignition rotary engine—that can run on either petrol or liquid petroleum gas — as a ‘range extender’ in a hybrid setup.

This forms part of a wider ‘well-to-wheel’ approach, as the Japanese carmaker calls it, considering the emissions of a vehicle for its entire life cycle.

Read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle dedicated site, The Driven…

You can also sign up to TheDriven’s regular, and free, newsletter here.

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

Bridie Schmidt

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

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