Mazda MX30 e-Skyactiv R-EV Is An EV With A Rotary Range-extender

At the Brussels Motor Show happening this week, Japanese automaker Mazda marked the return of its legendary rotary engine tech, albeit not in the traditional sense. That’s because said combustion tech has been adapted as a range-extender generator motor in the brand’s MX-30 EV.

Presented in Belgium during said show for the first time is the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV. Underneath, this evolution of Mazda’s first fully electric model comes with an 830cc rotary range-extending generator motor primed with direct injection and a high compression ratio of 11.9:1.

Using petrol (gasoline) as its fuel, the motor generates 75 HP at 4,700 RPM and 115 NM @ 4,000 RPM. It also gets a 50-litre fuel tank that’s mounted just ahead of the rear-mounted electric motor. Though it’s now a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) instead of a full electric vehicle (EV), the rotary mill still does not power the MX-30 directly, serving exclusively as a range-extending generator throughout.

This means the electric motor mentioned still provides all the driving force in this flavour of the MX-30, generating 167 HP and 260 NM. It also retains its 17.8 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that’s installed in the underbody.

In this form, the MX-30 has somewhat combatted its biggest drawback in pure-electric form, by which we mean range - Mazda claims just about 199 KM on a single charge. With the range-extending rotary mill in play, this new e-Skyactiv R-EV variant now boasts a claimed maximum travel range of over 600 KM.

Aside from the range-extender, the battery itself can still be charged directly as how the regular full-EV MX-30 variant does. IT takes just 25 minutes to attain 20% to 80% charge via a 36 kW DC rapid-charging input, or 1 hour 40 minutes for a full recharge via regular AC charging at a rate of 11 kW.

Despite gaining a combustion engine element, Mazda still touts relatively frugal and low figures both on the fuel consumption and CO2 emissions fronts. The claimed figures read at 1 litre/100 KM and 21 g/km respectively.

As for performance, there aren’t drastic changes here either as 0-100 KM/H is despatched in 9.1 seconds whilst enroute towards a claimed V-Max of 140 KM/H - the latter electronically-governed figure being set as a means to preserve both battery and motor life-span.

Said performance figures are respectable to say the least considering its rather hefty 1,703 KG claimed weight. Mazda says it chose the rotary engine because it’s a more compact mill as opposed to an equivalent reciprocating engine, meaning there’s no noticeable impact on cabin space.

Apart from the badging and rotary PHEV-specific 18-inch alloy wheels design, little else has changed in this version of the MX-30. In the EU, the Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is poised to retail with the same starting price as the entry-level MX-30 EV.

While the return of the rotary engine is note-worthy, this isn’t the first time Mazda has offered the MX-30 with a petrol engine primed on board. Select markets, namely Japan and Australia, sees the crossover offered with a mild-hybrid 2.0-litre mill that offers 153 HP and 200 NM, for instance.

What do you folks think of this rotary-equipped evolution of the MX-30, then? Will it suffice at curbing your range anxieties over the fully-electrified version? Hit the comments below with your thoughts…