The Mazda MX-30 is a joke no more: Rotary engine range extender achieves 100km/l

Mazda unveiled a rotary engine-equipped Plug-in Hybrid EV version of the Mazda MX-30 subcompact crossover at the Brussels Motor Show. And it's just what Mazda loyalists have been waiting for after the model was ridiculed for its low EV range since its launch in 2019.

Featuring the return of the rotary engine on a production Mazda model, the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV, sports an 830-cc direct injection gasoline rotary engine that functions to power a generator. This then charges the 17.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers an electric motor similar to the Nissan Kicks e-Power's series hybrid setup.

Same same, but different

It differs from the Kicks, however, as it provides a charging port where owners can directly charge the MX-30's battery from a household outlet or commercial EV charging station. The battery pack can be charged from zero in 1 hour and 40 minutes using an 11-kW wall box, and it can also go from 20% to 80% charge using a 36-kW DC fast charger in 25 minutes.

The MX-30 also has a significantly larger battery pack than the Nissan Kicks' 2.06 kWh. In pure EV mode, it can do up to 85 kilometers in the combined cycle, good enough for a day or two's commute along EDSA.

The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV has a 50-liter fuel tank for its rotary engine. The new rotary motor produces 76 PS and 116 Nm of torque from its 11.9:1 high compression configuration as it charges the underbody battery pack. This new powertrain allows the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV to have a range of more than 600 kilometers. It can also accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 9.1 seconds with a top speed capped at 140 km/h.

The PHEV rotary crossover weighs 1,703 kilos but has a fuel consumption of only 100 kilometers per liter in the combined WLTP cycle.

Not exactly cheap

Euro pricing has been announced to the tune of ₱2,140,185. So sadly, it won't be an entry-level daily runabout anytime soon. 

The introduction of the rotary engine as a range extender has been discussed for quite a while now. It was expected to be introduced during the Mazda MX-30's global unveil at the 2019 Tokyo Motor Show. Now, after a three-year wait, Mazda can finally realize what the MX-30 should have been to its consumers. 

Does the return of the rotary engine make you hopeful for a rotary-powered Mazda sports car too?