MAZDA REACHES FOR THE SKY
MAZDA is planning to short circuit the electric revolution with a new generation of super-efficient petrol and diesel engines.
The SKYACTIV technology will make its debut next year and could slash the number of visits a driver makes to the filling station by a fifth.
Instead of following a route to cut CO2 emissions by developing battery powered or hybrid vehicles, Mazda has decided to go for an ‘instant hit’ by making significant improvements to conventional engines.
The Japanese car maker claims the result will be petrol engines with the economy of current diesels – and diesels averaging 70mpg or more.
The first SKYACTIV model will be Mazda’s new CX-5 medium-sized crossover which will be powered by a 180bhp 2.2-litre diesel with CO2 emissions below 120g/km and average fuel consumption between 60 and 70 to the gallon.
That’s supermini economy from a family-sized five-seater and Mazda says there will be no trade off when it comes to performance.
The CX-5 is based on the Minagi concept car which Mazda unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and its futuristic lines are key to the SKYACTIV programme.
It uses lightweight high tensile steel in the body, has a lighter chassis and gearbox and has aluminium in the engines – even the diesels.
The weight savings combined with other improvements such as stop/start systems and brake energy regeneration are set to improve fuel consumption by 15 per cent in petrol engines and 20 per cent for diesel.
“This is affordable environmental technology for all,” said Mazda spokesman Graeme Fudge. “We intend to build cars with class leading fuel consumption and CO2 emissions without compromising any of their fun to drive.”
Mazda’s strategy to bypass the current wave of alternative power systems means it does not have to resort to expensive devices currently used in hybrid and electric vehicles and although there’s no hint of prices for the CX-5 Mazda says it will be competitive with mainstream models.
Market analysts predict that by 2020 only 10 per cent of cars will be electric meaning the bulk of vehicles will still rely on petrol or diesel fuel.
However, Mazda is not turning its back completely on hybrid cars and intends to introduce them once the SKYACTIV range is established.
By improving the efficiency combustion engines to the point where they already match the economy of current hybrid models, Mazda says it will be able to make ultra-economical cars by the time it launches hybrids.
The SKYACTIV system will be used on all new Mazdas from 2012 and will not be confined to ‘eco-specials’ such as the Ford ECOnetic and Volkswagen BlueMotion models.
Under the SKYACTIV umbrella Mazda says it also intends to develop high performance as well as fuel sipping variants in line with the brand’s thinking of building fun-to-drive, value for money cars.
