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Mazda's triangular-piston rotary engine has returned, this time as a range extender in its new 2023 MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV for Europe. The hatchback was revealed at the Brussels Auto Show on Friday with an 85-kilometer (52-mile) battery range. Like the Chevrolet Volt, the gasoline engine never moves the wheels, its just recharges the battery.
Mazda says it the one-rotor engine displaces 830 cubic centimeters and makes 75 horsepower on its own. The electric motor is more powerful than the current one in the US MX-30, delivering 168 horsepower and 192 pound-feet of torque. That's good for a sprint time to 60 miles per hour in 9.1 seconds.
The BMW i3 featured the same setup, with an electric motor powering the wheels and a small range extender for going farther. The i3, however, only came with a 2-gallon gas tank meant for getting owners home in an emergency. The MX-30 R-EV sports a 13-gallon gas tank along with the 17.8-kilowatt-hour battery. That battery is about double the size of the US MX-30.
The MX-30 R-EV features Normal, EV and Charge modes, and can supply up to 1,500 watts of power to homes, campsites and jobsites.
A special edition model called Edition R will feature black-based exterior and interior trims with Maroon Rouge Metallic. That's a throwback to the roof color of Mazda's first passenger vehicle, the Mazda R360 Coupe. It also comes with a rotor-shaped emblem sewn into the floor mats and embossed on the seat headrests.
Mazda hasn't said whether this version of the MX-30 will come to the US. The hatch sold here comes with a 35.5-kilowatt-hour battery with an EPA-estimated range of 100 miles on a charge. It comes well-equipped with 8.8-inch center display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
They also come with Mazda's i-Activsense safety features including Mazda Radar Cruise Control with Stop and Go, Blind Spot Monitoring with Rear Cross-Traffic Alert, Smart Brake Support, Rear Direction Base Safety (Smart Brake Support-Reverse & Rear Cross-Traffic Braking), Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keep Assist, Driver Attention Alert, and High Beam Control.
Premium trims add a Bose 12-speaker audio system, a heated steering wheel, 360-degree view monitor, front parking sensors, keyless entry and a trial for satellite radio. The package also adds Blind Spot Assist, which enhances Blind Spot Monitoring by steering to keep the vehicle in its own lane.
Front Cross Traffic Alert produces an audible and visual alert on the instrument panel to help warn the driver when the front sensors detect vehicles approaching from the front left or right side of the vehicle at speeds above 3 mph.
The base 2023 Mazda MX-30 EV starts at $34,110 while the Premium Plus model comes in at $37,120.
About the writer
Jake Lingeman is a Newsweek Autos managing editor based in Detroit. His focus is reporting on the auto industry. He has covered ... Read more