Jun

Mazda Cutting Fuel Economy In A Big Way

Posted by admin Published in Mazda

Mazda says it will cut the fuel consumption of its cars 30 percent by 2015 in a sweeping campaign that will see the automaker replace nearly every engine in its lineup, shave at least 220 pounds from every car it builds and continue developing its hydrogen hybrid.

The announcement comes as the entire industry is reeling from plummeting sales brought on skyrocketing fuel prices. Automakers are ditching their SUVs and trucks in favor of smaller, more fuel efficient vehicles and Mazda has outlined what it calls “a holistic approach” to reducing the fuel consumption.

The push begins with next year’s models.

The company says it will introduce a proprietary Smart Idle Stop System in “one of its cars” next year. The system stops the engine at idle, soon after restarts it by forcing fuel directly into the cylinder and igniting it to start the car - a procedure Mazda says is quieter and improved fuel economy as much as 8 percent. The automaker plus plans to introduce an E-85 “flex fuel” engine in North America next year.

A more efficient rotary engine is slated for late 2010, and the following year will see Mazda start rolling out direct-injection turbodiesel

engines and gasoline engines with direct injection spark ignition. The company says the gas engines will produce 15 to 20 percent more ability and 20 percent better fuel economy than anything it currently offers. All of these engines will be put in cars that will use thinner high-strength steel and lighter suspension components to cut weight by at least 100 kilograms.

Mazda plus plans to preserve its focus on hydrogen internal combustion engines, arguing - as does BMW - the technology offers several advantages by the fuel cell vehicles Honda, General Motors and just about everyone else in the industry are pushing. ”I have a big question (regarding) whether fuel-cell cars can really can come
into wide use,” Seita Kanai, Mazda’s head of R&D, said recently.

Earlier that month, the Japanese government granted Mazda approval to start checking its Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid on public roads. The the company plans to manufacture it available for commercial lease in Japan within the next year.

Photo by Mazda.

Original post by Chuck Squatriglia