Mexican Media Brands
Mazda Rotary Engine to Boost Range of Self-Driving Toyota Delivery Vehicles
The fleet of autonomous electric delivery vehicles Toyota Motor Corp. is planning will include a small rotary engine supplied by partner Mazda Motor Corp. to help extend their driving range, Bloomberg News reports.
Share
The fleet of autonomous electric delivery vehicles Toyota Motor Corp. is planning will include a small rotary engine supplied by partner Mazda Motor Corp. to help extend their driving range, Bloomberg News reports.
A rotary engine’s lightweight, compact design, fuel efficiency, and minimal noise and vibration make it a good fit for such an application, Mazda U.S. president Masahiro Moro, tells Bloomberg. A range extender recharges an EV’s battery on the fly but does not directly power the wheels.
Last autumn Mazda announced plans to introduce its own mass-market EV in 2019 that would be equipped with a range-extending electrical generator driven by a small rotary engine. Rumors also continue to persist about a new rotary-powered sports car. Mazda’s last such model, the RX-8, was discontinued in 2012.
Toyota showed its oddly shaped e-Palette concepts (pictured) earlier this month at the CES electronics show in Las Vegas. The carmaker aims to launch the self-driving EVs early next decade.
The flexible e-Palette platform can accommodate three sizes: a large bus or delivery van, a midsize shuttle and a tiny vehicle that can operate on sidewalks. In addition to Mazda, Toyota is partnering with Amazon, DiDi, Pizza Hut and Uber on the program.
RELATED CONTENT
-
Engineering the 2019 Jeep Cherokee
The Jeep Cherokee, which was launched in its current manifestation as a model year 2014 vehicle, and which has just undergone a major refresh for MY 2019, is nothing if not a solid success.
-
On Fuel Cells, Battery Enclosures, and Lucid Air
A skateboard for fuel cells, building a better battery enclosure, what ADAS does, a big engine for boats, the curious case of lean production, what drivers think, and why Lucid is remarkable
-
Choosing the Right Fasteners for Automotive
PennEngineering makes hundreds of different fasteners for the automotive industry with standard and custom products as well as automated assembly solutions. Discover how they’re used and how to select the right one. (Sponsored Content)
