Mazda to Possibly Combine Wankel, Skyactiv-X Technology Engines

It seems the Wankel (or rotary engine) will never die--at least for Mazda it isn't. Its last Wankel-powered car was built in 2012 under the hood of the RX-8. And despite remaining committed to this rotary engine, it remained elusive to the masses--until now.

In October, Mazda confirmed that it will "reincarnate" the Wankel engine in the form of small range-extenders for its future electric vehicles.

Mazda's Vice President of R&D and design Masashi Otsuka also told Jalopnik that they might possibly combine the Wankel engines with its Skyactiv-X engine technology under the hood of the new Mazda 3 in late 2019.

What's Special About the Wankel and Skyactive-X  Engines?

According to Mechstuff.com, wankel engines are internal combustion engines that use a rotor which converts gas pressure energy into a rotary motion. What's good about them is that they have very few moving parts, allowing the engine to be more reliable and durable. They also have a higher power-to-weight ratio, since their weight is almost a third of the weight of the common piston found in vehicles.

Many complain, however, that these rotary engines are heavy in emissions and fuel consumption. But if you combine it with Skyactiv-X engine that offers better fuel efficiency and engine output, it can be quite a formidable combination--particularly for lightweight sports cars.

So far, Mazda hasn't given any more details about their plans with both engines. Whatever the case, let's wait and see what happens next year.