[ad_1]
For many purebreds, Mazda will forever be associated with the rotary engine that the company first unveiled in the 1967 Cosmo Sport and later in its line of RX-badged sports cars.
Over the years, the rotary engine has played a key role in the company’s history, including powering the Le Mans winner, and earlier this year it made a comeback, as a range expansion for the MX30 compact electric crossover, though not in the US.
But could we see a more powerful rotary in a modern RX? The biggest hurdle remains getting fuel-hungry engines to comply with strict emission regulations while also increasing output. Mazda’s last rotary sports car, the RX-8, has just 232 hp but is as thirsty as a V-8.
The patent activity suggests Mazda is looking at hybrid technology as a possible solution for cars with a rotary engine that drives the wheels directly.
Mazda’s patent describes a rotary hybrid powertrain
As first spotted by The Drive, a patent filed by Mazda with the United States Patent and Trademark Office was published this week and details a hybrid system in which a front-mounted rotary engine (12) is paired with an electric motor (16), with the two power units send drive to the transaxle (14c) and finally the rear wheel (2a). Two more electric motors (20), described as in-wheel hub motors, complete the powertrain, and give it all-wheel drive.
Similar patents appeared last year but the latest provides more details on the electric side of the powertrain. The two inner-wheel motors are described as 17-kw (23-hp) induction motors, while the rotary-coupled motor is described as a 25-kw (36 hp) permanent magnet synchronous motor.
The latest patent also includes an interesting concept for a battery system 18 to store recovered energy and drive an electric motor. This is a unique variable voltage system where four individual 48 volt battery systems are packaged for ideal weight distribution. The systems operate individually during normal driving, but when peak power is required, the switch can connect the batteries to form a 96 volt unit. Such a design means fewer high-voltage connections are required, helping to reduce weight.
Mazda hasn’t mentioned any plans to launch a modern rotary sports car, although there have been many hints over the years, culminating in the reveal of the RX-Vision concept in 2015. All the patent activity indicates that Mazda hasn’t given up on the idea of a rotary sports car, even at world with increasingly stringent emission standards.
[ad_2]
Source link
