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Featured Mazda MX-30 R-EV has been Revealed

Discussion in 'Prius, Hybrid, EV and Alt-Fuel News' started by drash, Jan 13, 2023.

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  1. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Mazda has a new plug-in hybrid called the MX-30 R-EV. The R stands for Rotary engine which actually keeps the battery charged when the battery runs low and/or when extra acceleration is needed. The rotary is 830cc in size and puts out 75hp, about twice that of the i3's 2-cylinder engine on the i3 REX model. No fuel mileage estimates were given.

    The electric part contains a 17.8 kWh battery with a single 168hp, 192 lb-ft motor. Although the battery is expected to give the MX-30 R-EV 85 km on the WLTP cycle, it has a 13.2 gallon gas tank so it should be able to go quite far. The engine will kick on when you press the gas pedal a bit too much so in that regard it acts like the 1st gen Prius Plug-in.

    Mazda MX-30 R-EV revives the rotary - Autoblog

    MAZDA NEWSROOM｜Mazda reveals Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV in Europe｜NEWS RELEASES
    mx-30_e-skyactiv_r-ev_edition_r_ext_1_s.jpg

    This was also discussed in a thread in: MX-30 an Improved BMW i3-REx | PriusChat
    @bwilson4web posted earlier.

    edited to point to earlier threads on this vehicle.
     
    #1 drash, Jan 13, 2023
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2023
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  2. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Any price information and coming to the US?
     
    #2 Salamander_King, Jan 13, 2023
  3. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    So far European only at this time. Also it does support DCFC CCS Combo.
     
    #3 drash, Jan 13, 2023
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  4. hill

    hill High Fiber Member

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    Comparatively thinking - seems it's like a heavier taller version of a Chevy Volt, w/a smaller powered ICE. It'll be interesting to see its fuel economy.
     
    #4 hill, Jan 13, 2023
  5. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    #5 Trollbait, Jan 13, 2023
  6. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Other tidbits from Motor 1: Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV Debuts With Rotary Engine To Cure Range Anxiety

    Range is 85km (53 miles) on EV only with fuel consumption about 1 L/100 km (235 mpg) on the WLTP Combined cycle. DCFC recharge speed is around 36 kW and can use 11 kW L2. Total range is about 600 km (373 miles) on a tank of gas so it looks around 28 mpg. This comes at a price though, acceleration takes about 9.1 seconds to get to 100 km/h with a top speed of 140 km/h (87 mph). I'm thinking the US version needs a little more work. Starting price is €35,990 and goes to €45,040 for the Edition R. This is in Germany and probably includes the VAT.
     
    #6 drash, Jan 13, 2023
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  7. drash

    drash Senior Member

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    Mazda MX-30 R-EV is a plug-in puzzle Americans might not get

    It's either been delayed or outright canceled for the US. It is going European only first because it can survive the WLTC 15 minute cycle but the EPA extended range test (Gas only) may show some serious inefficiencies, like sub 30 mpg (see previous post). Some interesting details from the article:
    • "Separately, there’s also a Charge mode that can save away charge so owners can drive quietly in EV mode or later use the car to power devices. Owners can set how much they’d like to charge up to, in 10% increments."
    • Built-in charger is 7.2 kW
    • DCFC CCS Combo can charge the the car from 20% to 80% in 25 minutes
    • Cargo area has a 240V (Europe) 1500W outlet
    IMHO maybe the assumed sub 30 MPG charge sustainment mode would be an impetus to charge it.
     
    #7 drash, Jan 16, 2023
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  8. Salamander_King

    Salamander_King Senior Member

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    Thanks for the update. Yeah, if sub 30mpg on gas only is true, that is totally a deal breaker for most who are looking for the efficiency of the EV but assurance of the gas engine backup. Besides, not being built in NA, it won't qualify for any tax credit in the US. I can't imagine many selling.
     
    #8 Salamander_King, Jan 16, 2023
  9. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    One drove past me this morning on dealer plates. Pretty nondescript-looking car

    Rotary engines aren't known for fuel economy, so I'm not sure that people are gonna be impressed with 28mpg when they run out of battery.

    It'll be a niche car for people who drove an RX-8 fifteen years ago, and who know you need to budget for an engine rebuild every now and then:D
     
    #9 Todd Bonzalez, Jan 21, 2023
  10. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    The EPA only shows a fairly short range, ~100 mi, inefficient 35 kWh/100 mi BEV unit.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #10 bwilson4web, Jan 21, 2023
  11. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    Yeah, not for me I'm afraid. I read the real-world range is even lower at ~85 miles
     
    #11 Todd Bonzalez, Jan 21, 2023
  12. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    Depends on how well the 53 EV miles work for a person. Would have been better if they kept that range closer to the BEV. Maybe being a REx would help. As is, it is a subpar Volt with only the body shape going for it in this market.

    The main issue is that Mazda is a small company. That limits their resources. They had to go to Toyota for their hybrids after Ford. The MX-30 has the markings of just being a compliance car.
    One of the CARB requirements for a REx is that the ICE range can't exceed the Ev range. It's why the i3 REx had a smaller effective tank in the US than Europe. Could the manufacturer list a lower ICE fuel economy to get a longer ICE range in owners' hands?
     
    #12 Trollbait, Jan 21, 2023
  13. bisco

    bisco cookie crumbler

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    along with the south koreans, mazda might have the best looking fleet on the road
     
    #13 bisco, Jan 21, 2023
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  14. Todd Bonzalez

    Todd Bonzalez Active Member

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    My thoughts exactly...low emissions to offset other models in the range. From a European perspective Mazda's not a brand I'd look at and think "Hmm yeah, environmentally friendly". Their last rotary was pulled in Europe because emissions were too high
     
    #14 Todd Bonzalez, Jan 21, 2023
  15. Trollbait

    Trollbait It's a D&D thing

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    When it came out, the SkyActiv-D did meet the emission regulations without extra emission controls, and you do get the SkyActiv-X. The Wankel was always of more limited application. Use as a range extender might have meant its upsides were more important than its downs.

    Mazda is small enough that they had lower requirements to meet for California's ZEV program. Now that they have to sell a plug in, what they brought to market is only slightly better than a 10 year old Leaf, and it isn't sold outside California. It's cheaper than the competition, but then that $5000 more is getting you more than double the range in what is most likely a larger vehicle.

    The low fuel economy of the range extender may have be acceptable if added to the BEV, but Mazda reduced the EV range to that of PHEVs with better hybrid efficiency.
     
    #15 Trollbait, Jan 21, 2023
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  16. bwilson4web

    bwilson4web BMW i3 and Model 3

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    A former BMW i3 REx owner, I suspect the Wankel specific fuel consumption and emissions issues are solvable.

    Thanks to the battery buffering, the exhaust and port tuning only needs to run at the most optimal power range. The battery could provide enough energy to pre-warm the exhaust treatment catalytic converter and small, Wankel block.

    Whether their engineers are up to the task remains to be seen.

    Bob Wilson
     
    #16 bwilson4web, Jan 21, 2023
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