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Mazda Outlines Future Plans Including Petrol Compression Ignition, EVs And Autonomous Driving

Mazda has revealed its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 report, outlining the brand’s major major long-term goals with a concentrated focus on reducing the environmental impact of its products. The report comes just days after Mazda announced an extend


Mazda has revealed its Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 report, outlining the brand’s major major long-term goals with a concentrated focus on reducing the environmental impact of its products.

The report comes just days after Mazda announced an extended partnership with Toyota, that will see the two companies build a joint US production facility and work together on electric vehicles and connectivity systems.

As part of the Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 plans, Mazda intends to lower its entire "well-to-wheel” carbon dioxide emissions to 50 per cent of its 2010 level by 2030 and with a longer term goal of dropping by 90 per cent by 2050.

At the forefront of the plan is the implementation of Mazda’s newly-developed compression ignition technology, which will wear the SkyActiv-X badge, as well as electric cars as part of its tie-up with Toyota by 2019.

As speculated earlier this week, SkyActiv-X is Mazda’s take on homogenous charge compression ignition, or HCCI, a system that allows an engine to run like a diesel, compressing a lean fuel-air mixture to the point of self-combustion without the need for a spark plug and a richer fuel mixture as required by current petrol technology.

Although other manufacturers have shown the technology as a concept, Mazda will be the first to introduce a HCCI-cycle engine when it hits the market in 2019. To help make the engine driveable in all conditions (something HCCI isn’t ideal for) the engine will also be capable of running like a traditional petrol engine in some circumstances through a process Mazda calls Spark Controlled Compression Ignition.

Mazda claims this new technology will greatly extend the life of petrol engines by lowering emissions. By utilising a supercharger Mazda claims the SkyActiv-X engines will be more efficient but still provide good driving performance.

“Compression ignition and a supercharger fitted to improve fuel economy together deliver unprecedented engine response and increase torque 10–30 per cent over the current SkyActiv-G gasoline engine,” Mazda Director and Senior Managing Executive, Kiyoshi Fujiwara. said.

“Compression ignition makes possible a super lean burn that improves engine efficiency up to 20-30 per cent over the current SkyActiv-G, and from 35-45 per cent 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.”

Mazda sees its SkyActiv-X engines will playing a key role in cutting emissions in the “majority of cars worldwide” as the transition to zero emissions electric vehicles continues over medium term future.

Mazda will also introduce its own range of hybrid and electric vehicles though its most recent  partnership with Toyota, with the first vehicles expected to arrive by 2019. Mazda will then tailor its sales strategy to the needs of individual markets, with EVs taking a backseat to SkyActiv-X in areas where electric vehicles are less ideally suited.

The Japanese company had little else to reveal about its EV plans, aside from the launch date.

Mazda also announced as part of its 2030 plans to introduce autonomous driving technology as standard on all models by 2025. The Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 presentation also made reference to creating a new business model that would allow vehicle owners to connect with people without a car in sparsely populated areas to help them get around.

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