Mazda wants to develop a hydrogen-fueled rotor engine that can burn hydrogen directly
Mazda is developing a hydrogen-burning Wankel engine to power a successor to the RX-8, according to foreign media reports.
The engine is still in its infancy, but the solution has several technical advantages. One of hydrogen's weaknesses is that it can catch fire at a hot spot in the cylinder. According to the report, there is no hot spot in the Wankel engine because it uses a rotor, not a piston, so it is ideal for burning hydrogen.
For this technology, burning hydrogen is not common; most automakers use the fuel to generate electricity, which then drives one or more motors. Of course, this is not unprecedented. Mazda tested and even leased the experimental RX-8 in the 2000s, and its engine can run on gasoline or hydrogen. But the system takes up the entire trunk and weighs nearly 200 pounds. The engine is even used in some test minivans. More recently, Toyota built an endurance racer powered by a turbocharged, hydrogen-burning three-cylinder engine.
There is no word yet on what type of vehicle the new rotor engine will be used for. One possibility is the RX-Vision concept two-door sedan, which appeared in the trademark application in August and could be marketed as a hybrid with a pair of in-wheel motors. If it looks close to the 2015 concept car, fans will no doubt welcome it as a successor.
"If we decide to do this, the prototype could be ready in three years," said one Mazda official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The most likely is a system that combines electric turbines." Prototyping is relatively easy; Building a compelling business case is much harder. Ultimately, whether the project gets a production permit depends on the cost of development and how many people buy the vehicle.
