Mazda Is Planning To Make Petrol Cars As Clean As EVs

The Japanese internal combustion-enthusiasts at Mazda are targeting vast leaps in petrol engine efficiency for future generations
Mazda Is Planning To Make Petrol Cars As Clean As EVs

Mazda says it is working on petrol engines that, once the energy supply chain is taken into account, are as clean as battery-fed powertrains.

There’s plenty of debate behind the scenes as to the true environmental benefits of electric cars when so much of the electricity that powers them comes from burning fossil fuels. Some companies, like Ecotricity, promise to supply their EV-charging outlets only from renewable sources, but Mazda says electrification isn’t the only way to save the planet.

100mpg MX-5, anyone?
100mpg MX-5, anyone?

In a technical conference the company has announced its plans for a range of engines called SkyActiv-3. They will eventually follow on from the SkyActiv-X units that feature Spark Controlled Compression Ignition, or SPCCI. Arriving before the end of March 2019 at the latest, the SPCCI engines will already offer a step change in fuel economy potential.

SkyActiv-3 will mark a gargantuan leap, though, if Mazda can pull it off. It committed itself to internal combustion last year, and now we know how it plans to do it. Its target is to almost double the thermal efficiency of its petrol engines, raising them by 27 per cent and reaching 56 per cent overall.

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At the moment that’s simply impossible. If Mazda can find a way, though, stratospheric efficiency is on the cards, along with a target of 25 per cent less carbon emissions. That would serve buyers with well-to-wheel emissions ratings on a par with electric cars that run on electricity generated by gas-fired power stations.

Naturally, because Mazda is trying to achieve what is, today, technically impossible, there’s no time-scale for bringing SkyActiv-3 to market. We doff our caps to the Japanese firm for trying, though.

Source: Automotive News

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Comments

Monty4248

Cool, but can they finally win the 24 hours of Daytona? They have one of the best looking dpi’s, and it didn’t perform for the last last weekend.

01/30/2018 - 11:58 |
0 | 0
HAYABUSA

Does that comprise only production-related pollution or are emission in the course of the cars usage life included ? Because if it’s only the first then the whole story is (purposefully) misleading

01/30/2018 - 12:31 |
1 | 0
V-Tech and EcoBoost kicked in yo

In reply to by HAYABUSA

Most likely production related. Even then, I think Mazda is being very manipulative. They really don’t want to admit that ICE’s are dirtier than EV’s in the grand scheme so they come with special little scenarios where their SPCCI technology can shine above electric. I remember when Mazda tried to reason against EV’s a little while back using flawed data such grossly exaggerated EV inefficiencies and assuming that all power generated in the world was somehow fossil fuel only. They really just grasping for straws.

01/30/2018 - 20:40 |
0 | 1
Anonymous

the thing I fear when looking at my E21 is that one day I would have to swap in an electric motor or something and stop listening internal combustion… I would not mind downsizing from a 2.0 liter 6 cylinder BMW engine to, lets say a 1.6 liter inline 4 Mazda engine of similar or higher power output and would love to be able to hear that combustion noise (even if a 4 cylinder will never sound as great as an inline 6)

01/30/2018 - 12:34 |
2 | 0
AAA Insurance

humming sounds of worship intensify

01/30/2018 - 12:53 |
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Anonymous

Thanks Mazda i love you.

01/30/2018 - 12:55 |
1 | 0
Adam Rizky Ramadhan

Mazda is the real hero to all petrolhead like us :D

01/30/2018 - 13:18 |
1 | 0
NotARealRoadTest

56% efficiency sounds ambitious, but I so want Mazda to achieve it

01/30/2018 - 13:48 |
0 | 0
Mazda Fanatic

Thats all impressive but im still waiting for the next rotary tho

01/30/2018 - 14:15 |
1 | 1
Ewan23 (The Scottish guy)

Good on you Mazda

01/30/2018 - 14:17 |
3 | 0
My Name is Joel

How is Mazda so good, yet in America at least, they seem so under-rated.

01/30/2018 - 14:54 |
1 | 0