MAZDA Electric Press Release....yawn.
 

PRESS RELEASE
Mazda Motor Europe GmbH

Mazda Announces Long-Term Vision for Technology
Development, 'Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030’
• Introduces SKYACTIV-X, world’s first commercial gasoline engine to use compression
ignition

Hiroshima / Leverkusen, 8. August 2017. Mazda Motor Corporation today announced
“Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030,” a new long-term vision for technology development that looks
ahead to the year 2030. As part of the new technology to achieve this vision, the company
disclosed plans to introduce a next-generation engine called SKYACTIV-X in 2019. SKYACTIV-X
will be the world’s first commercial gasoline engine to use compression ignition.1

Under the original “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom” vision announced in 2007, the company has
striven to offer both driving pleasure and outstanding environmental and safety performance.
In light of the rapid changes taking place in the automotive industry, the new vision takes a
longer-term perspective and sets out how Mazda will use driving pleasure, the fundamental
appeal of the automobile, to help solve issues facing people, the earth and society.

The following is an overview of “Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030” and the next-generation
SKYACTIV-X engine.

1. Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030
Mazda believes its mission is to bring about a beautiful earth and to enrich people’s lives as well
as society. The company will continue to seek ways to inspire people through the value found in
cars.

Earth
Through conservation initiatives, create a sustainable future in which people and cars coexist
with a bountiful, beautiful earth.

Mazda’s approach
 Expand measures for carbon dioxide reduction from a “well-to-wheel” perspective,
considering emissions over the vehicle’s entire life cycle
 Aim to reduce corporate average “well-to-wheel” carbon dioxide emissions to 50 percent of
2010 levels by 2030, and achieve a 90-percent reduction by 2050
 Achieve this with a policy prioritizing efficiency improvements and measures for cleaner
emissions that apply in the real world
 In line with this policy, continue efforts to perfect the internal combustion engine, which
will help power the majority of cars worldwide for many years to come and can therefore
make the greatest contribution to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, and combine the
results with effective electrification technologies.

 From 2019, start introducing electric vehicles and other electric drive technologies in
regions that use a high ratio of clean energy for power generation or restrict certain
vehicles to reduce air pollution

Society
Through cars and a society that provide safety and peace of mind, create a system that
enriches people’s lives by offering unrestricted mobility to people everywhere.

Mazda’s approach
 Develop more advanced safety technologies under the Mazda Proactive Safety philosophy,
working toward the goal of eliminating traffic accidents
 Further enhance safety fundamentals, such as correct driving position, pedal layout and
good visibility, and standardize them across all models
 Promote further standardization of i-ACTIVSENSE advanced safety features, which help
drivers recognize and assess potential hazards; in addition to Japan, where they are
already becoming standard, gradually make these technologies standard in other markets
starting in 2018
 Begin testing of autonomous driving technologies currently being developed in line with
Mazda’s human-centered Mazda Co-Pilot Concept2 in 2020, aiming to make the system
standard on all models by 2025
 Using connectivity technologies, create a new business model that enables car owners to
support the needs of people in depopulated areas and those who have difficulty getting
around

People
Enhance customers’ mental well-being with the satisfaction that comes from protecting the
earth and contributing to society with a car that offers true driving pleasure

Mazda’s approach
 -ittai driving feel that will unlock people’s potential and revitalize
them mentally and physically
 “breathing life into the car,” further develop KODO design to
raise vehicle design to the level of art that enriches the emotional lives of all who see it

2. SKYACTIV-X next-generation engine

Technological innovations
 SKYACTIV-X is the world’s first commercial gasoline engine to use compression ignition, in
which the fuel-air mixture ignites spontaneously when compressed by the piston
 A proprietary combustion method called Spark Controlled Compression Ignition overcomes
two issues that had impeded commercialization of compression ignition gasoline engines:
maximizing the zone in which compression ignition is possible and achieving a seamless
transition between compression ignition and spark ignition.

Features
 This new proprietary combustion engine combines the advantages of gasoline and diesel
engines to achieve outstanding environmental performance, power and acceleration
performance.
 Compression ignition and a supercharger fitted to improve fuel economy together deliver
unprecedented engine response and increase torque 10 - 30 percent over the current
SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine.3
 Compression ignition makes possible a super lean burn4 that improves engine efficiency up
to 20 - 30 percent over the current SKYACTIV-G, and from 35 - 45 percent over Mazda’s
2008 gasoline engine of the same displacement. SKYACTIV-X even equals or exceeds the
latest SKYACTIV-D diesel engine in fuel efficiency.
 With high efficiency across a wide range of rpms and engine loads, the engine allows much
more latitude in the selection of gear ratios, providing both superior fuel economy and
driving performance.

Moving forward Mazda hopes to help create a future in which people, the earth and society can
coexist with cars, to enrich people’s lives through a car ownership experience that celebrates
driving, and to become a brand with which customers feel a strong emotional connection.

# # #

1 As of August 2017. According to in-house investigations.
2 Mazda’s human-centered self-driving technology development concept. People enjoy driving
while being revitalized mentally and physically. Meanwhile the car is driving “virtually” with a
firm grasp of the movements of the driver and the car. In unexpected situations, such as a
sudden loss of consciousness, the car will override the driver, automatically contact emergency
services and drive safely to the most appropriate location.
3 Engine is still under development and figures are subject to change.
4 A condition in which the ratio of gasoline to air is reduced to a level that would not ignite in
a spark-ignition engine.

I am just gonna say it: I never understood all the EV/hybrid hate.

Yeah, I get it, they are not as fun to drive or whatever, but EVs have a lot of advantages as well, like a good amount of torque from 0 RPM(insert rotary low-end torque joke here), and in some places like my province(where electricity is generated by hydroelectricity), they are a lot cleaner than ICE as well.

If I have the money, you bet I am gonna have an EV beater with a fun manual trans ICE car on the side.

In my case, I don't hate them, but I don't like the range & recharging factors, and the cost, longevity, and disposal issues of the batteries.

There's also the weird, no exhaust sound that I would miss.
:)

EV tech will get better. Not too long ago ICE's had a 12,000mi warranty, and maintenance past that point was as big a business for the manufacturer as the cars themselves. And now look even a rotary can crack 100,000miles. ;)

We have a taxi company here that only uses Teslas and Leaves, and the driver was telling me if he takes a full Tesla out on 7 hour shift, he usually brings it back at 55-60% full, so the next driver jumps in and does his shift, after which the car charges for a shift and the cycle repeats. Obviously a gas car could do any number of shifts straight, but still 16 hours of nonstop city driving is more practical range than most people need most of the time?

I'd love me a Volt. Just waiting for gf's Mazda 3 to come to an end.

How much do you drive daily, though? Even the crappiest EV will have the range most people drive daily, and you can just leave it on the charger when you sleep.

The initial cost of an EV is indeed high, but remember that there is no maintenance other than tires, brakes(which last longer than an ICE car's thanks to regen braking), and windshield wiper and its fluid. Batteries last a long, long time nowadays. People who DD Tesla's report a capacity drop of less than 10% over the course of a few years. Batteries can also be recycled.

Fun factor wise, I'd definitely take an ICE, but for DD I don't see any problem with an EV at all.

The local taxis here are mostly Prius and Camry hybrid. Even they will help save on operating cost.

I would be very curious to see the operating cost of a taxi company utilizing EVs.

I only dislike EV's because I feel it, along with autonomous technology, is the precursor to the death, (and or out law) of Automotive Enthusiasts/enthusiasm, as we currently know it.

I love Hybrids, especially when put into use in modern super/hyper cars like the LaFerrari, 918, P1, etc.

EV's themselves to drive, I've driven a few EV's from Teslas, to the BMW I3 - It just doesn't do anything for me - Yes it is fast but it lacks any sort of driving pleasure - It feels heavily disconnected as someone who drives for pure hobby, i drive a work truck for a living, and even in that scenario I would not enjoy it, I find the lack of engine noise unsettling. I think partially that is because I am someone who is relaxed by white noise (sleeps with a fan on) and a engine humming is like white noise to me.

I think the Technology itself is fantastic, and amazing however

Now that there'll be a production rotary, can we see 4 rotor engines in IMSA?

I'm thinking if this new tech with the rotary range extender is any good ...I'll get one for the missus . Then she will be a rotary hoe without even knowing it !

For driving pleasure, I don't really like hybrids either because there are no stick shifts.

I wish someone could do something like the old Honda Insight/CR-Z, just more performance-oriented. The Insight had the electric motor assist the engine and the first gen was available with a 5-speed manual. The Insight got pretty good gas mileage as well and was not surpassed for a long time. I don't care about gas mileage that much, just give me a 6-speed and I will be happy.

Imagine a rotary sports car with an electric motor assisting it during low-end where the torque sucks, and you can still get it with a 6-speed. That would be my life goal right there.

We're the 1%, Mazda does not care about how the 1% finds their Electric vehicles boring. We don't bring the money to their dealers.

This is the inevitable. Mazda is already late to the game of Hybrid/Electric vehicles, and that's an understatement as they are literally the last major manufacturer to arrive into the Hybrid/EV world.

Teo Taxi, right? They made the news as they just went out of business. Ouch.

Supposedly, one of the main reasons is indeed the charge time. They claim that only Tesla's could finish the shifts without charging.

So I guess just stick with hybrids for now...

Shucks. I really liked Teo. Who wants a used Tesla? :D



​​​​​