It’s been a decade since the RX-8’s production came to a close with the Spirit R special edition, but Mazda is reviving the beloved rotary engine at the 2023 Brussels Motor Show. The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV may have a confusing name, but it’s not a sports car. Instead, its rotary engine serves as a range extender, propelling the crossover farther than the standard electric version.
The 830-cc gasoline engine, with its direct injection and a high compression ratio of 11.9:1, packs a punch with 75 horsepower and 116 Newton meters of torque. But don’t expect this engine to drive the wheels. Like the Nissan Qashqai e-Power, the MX-30’s wheels are powered exclusively by an electric motor, producing 167 hp and 260 Nm of torque. The rotary engine’s only purpose is to power a generator that extends the MX-30’s range to over 600 kilometers. The gasoline engine gets its fuel from a 50-liter tank mounted just ahead of the rear axle, and the 17.8-kWh lithium-ion battery pack is nestled in the underbody.
Mazda envisions a future where the MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV glides seamlessly through city streets, powered solely by its all-electric range of 85 km. With a swift 1 hour and 40 minute charge time from an 11-kW wall box, and a rapid 25-minute charge to 80% using a DC connection, the MX-30 is designed for the daily commuter.
But don’t let its eco-friendly demeanor fool you, this plug-in hybrid packs a punch with a 0-100 km/h sprint time of 9.1 seconds and a top speed of 140 km/h. Despite its weight of 1,703 kilograms, the MX-30 boasts impressively low fuel consumption of 1 liter/100 km and corresponding CO2 emissions of just 21 g/km.
Starting at €35,990 in Germany, the MX-30 offers a range of five different models, with the top-of-the-line Edition R priced at €45,040. And while this may be the first time the MX-30 has been equipped with a rotary engine, in some markets such as Japan and Australia, it’s been available with a mild-hybrid 2.0-liter mill making 153 hp and 200 Nm.
Source and Images: Motor1