Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Green, Mazda
Mazda to cut fuel consumption 30 percent by 2015
Mazda has announced plans to increase the fuel efficiency of its vehicles by 30 percent in the next seven years through the use of new engine technology and lighter materials. By 2015, Mazda's entire range of vehicles will roll off the assembly line some 220 pounds lighter compared to the vehicles it offers today, with a diet that includes a new three-layer wet paint system, along with more innovative materials, including carbon neutral bioplastics due to arrive in 2013.
The automaker's goal will also be realized through the use of its new proprietary Smart Idle Stop System that will debut on one of its products in 2009. Unlike other systems, the Mazda start-stop setup injects fuel directly into the cylinder after the engine has shut down and then ignites the fuel to force the piston down. According to Mazda this makes for a smoother, faster and quieter restart and should improve fuel economy by seven- to eight-percent. The Smart Idle Stop System will originally be equipped on models in Europe and Japan, with a worldwide rollout coming shortly thereafter.
In 2009, Mazda will begin offering E85-compatible engines in North America and Northern Europe, and in 2011 all of the automaker's gasoline engines will utilize direct-injection fuel delivery. That same year, Mazda will introduce new diesel engines worldwide that boost fuel economy by 20-percent and in 2010, look for a new 16X rotary engine equipped with Direct Injection Spark Ignition that will increase both performance and fuel economy.
Hit the jump to read Mazda's press release.
PRESS RELEASE
Mazda to cut vehicle fuel consumption 30 percent by 2015.
- By 2015, Mazda will have renewed almost its entire powertrain lineup.
- Through steadily developing safe, lightweight, new generation platforms, aim to reduce the weight of new vehicles by 100 kilograms or more, from 2011.
- Unique Smart Idle Stop System to be introduced in 2009 with fast, quiet restart.
- Mazda to introduce a more advanced version of the unique Three Layer Wet Paint System in 2009.
- Mazda aims to have carbon neutral bioplastics ready for use in vehicles by 2013.
HIROSHIMA, Japan-Mazda Motor Corporation has announced that it is setting its sights on reducing the fuel consumption of Mazda vehicles sold globally by an average 30 percent by 2015. This determined commitment will entail a holistic approach which includes using lightweight technologies, the upgrade of almost all of Mazda's gasoline engines, introducing a Smart Idle Stop System, a new gasoline rotary engine and new diesel engines worldwide. By 2015, Mazda will have renewed almost its entire powertrain lineup and, from 2011, through steadily developing safe, lightweight, new generation platforms aims to reduce the weight of its new vehicles by 100 kilograms or more.
Mazda is driven by its long-term vision to provide all its customers with first-rate environmental and safety features as well as driving pleasure. This means that Mazda owners are assured of driving cars that continue to provide the fun-to-drive feeling that will keep them coming back for more, while still having the peace of mind that their Mazda is environmentally-friendly and safe to drive.
But, this focus on the environment is not a new concept for Mazda. In the seven years from 2001 to 2008, the average fuel economy of Mazda vehicles sold in the Japanese market increased by approximately 30 percent. In 1991, the company embarked on a long-term project to develop vehicles powered by hydrogen technology, thereby participating in the search for sustainable transportation solutions, which still continues today.
Mazda saw its hydrogen powertrain efforts progress positively forward in June 2008 when the Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid received the green light from the Japanese government to begin testing on public roads. The Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid (known as the Premacy Hydrogen RE Hybrid in Japan) offers 40 percent more power and an extended hydrogen driving range of 200 kilometers. It will be available for commercial lease in Japan during the 2008 fiscal year. And, Mazda is already progressing well with the development of an all-new Hydrogen RE vehicle with dynamic performance equivalent to a 3.0-liter gasoline engine and a hydrogen range of 400 kilometers.
The next technological milestone for Mazda will be the introduction of the mass production version of its proprietary Smart Idle Stop System into one of its cars in 2009.
Mazda's is the only idle stop system in the world that restarts the engine from idle by injecting fuel directly into the cylinder and igniting it to force the piston down, enabling a fast and quiet restart as well as an improvement in fuel economy by up to seven-to-eight percent. Demonstrating the extent of Mazda's flexible R&D capability in developing alternative environmentally-friendly technologies, the system will initially appear in Japan and Europe; however, it will be rolled out worldwide.
Mazda's future powertrain line-up has much to excite current and future Mazda customers. In 2009, an E85 fuel-compatible flex-fuel engine will be introduced into the Northern European and North American markets. From 2011 onwards, with new gasoline engines will incorporate next generation Direct Injection Spark Ignition and other systems to boost power by 15 to 20 percent and improve fuel economy by approximately 20 percent.
Beginning in 2011, Mazda plans to introduce new diesel engines worldwide that meet the strictest future exhaust gas regulations in each market. These engines will feature next generation direct injection technology, turbocharging systems and NOx reduction technology, which will enhance fuel economy by 20 percent and produce cleaner exhaust gases, while still providing a true Zoom-Zoom experience.
A fundamental part of Mazda's heritage, the gasoline rotary engine, will be substantially upgraded in the early 2010s. Currently referred to as the 16X, the next rotary engine will offer substantially improved performance and economy through use of Direct Injection Spark Ignition and high-speed combustion technology, enfolded in new rotary dimensions.
Mazda's environmental efforts are not only focused on its cars. The plants in which they are built have also received a lot of attention to ensure that they contribute to a sustainable future.
In FY2007, the volume of CO2 emissions from production activities in Japan was reduced by 15.4 percent compared to FY1990 levels. Expressed as CO2 emissions volume per unit of revenue, the reduction was 24 percent.
In 2005, Mazda was the first auto manufacturer to introduce a Three Layer Wet Paint System which reduces VOC emissions by 45 percent and CO2 emissions by 15 percent. Mazda now plans to introduce a more advanced version of this unique Paint System in 2009 as it finalizes the development of an innovative water-based paint technology that reduces VOC emissions by a further 57 percent without increasing CO2 emissions. Producing around 25 percent fewer CO2 emissions than common water-based paint, this new technology is intended to make Mazda's paint shops the cleanest in the world.
Mazda is also making itself known in the area of carbon neutral bioplastics. Developed in collaboration with government, industry and academia, Mazda intends to expand the applications of this new source of eco-friendly material. Already, bioplastics are used in the new Mazda5 Hydrogen RE Hybrid and, in June 2008, Mazda commenced the Mazda Bioplastic Project to develop a bioplastic made from non-food-based cellulosic biomass. The project aims to have the bioplastic ready for use in vehicles by 2013.
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Throwback 8:50AM (6/23/2008)
Lighter cars, what a concept! Somewhere Colin Chapman is rolling his eyes. Hopefully Ford will follow suit.
Reply
mike 8:52AM (6/23/2008)
Weeeew, that was a close one, and i thought that the industry had nothing up its sleeve in terms of MPG.
Ohh no i am sorry, that's just the case for GM.
Good work Rick, you deserve every penny you earn.
Reply
geo.stewart 9:17AM (6/23/2008)
are you kidding me? a manufacturer actually comes out with a detailed stepped PLAN to improve fuel economy, instead of either griping or making Barack-like promises that the world will be rosier when they are done.
nice job Mazda!
Reply
pmiddle5 9:22AM (6/23/2008)
Most Mazda's are pretty good currently so this'll be nice. Only problem motor they have is the rotary in that respect
Reply
Alex 9:35AM (6/23/2008)
You think they are pretty good on effeciency? I dunno, the 3 doesn't exactly sip fuel. Its pretty thirsty for its size. Then again Mazda's aim has been the sport side of compcats, not the effeciency.
At any rate, its nice to see a company come out with a timeline plan rather than just feed us ideas but no goal date.
Soul Shinobi 11:57AM (6/23/2008)
A problem with at least some North American market Mazdas is using engines from Ford, which aren't exactly award winning in terms of economy.
Westside T.O. 2:02AM (6/24/2008)
@Alex
Yea, my 3 is a lil piggy (relative), but like you said; oh so fun to drive!
Mark 9:25AM (6/23/2008)
All good stuff there, I like Mazda a lot. They've made a lot of effort to develop new technology and actually use it.
I just hope that the next RX series car will be lighter on the wallet then the RX-8 which was itself a vast improvement on the the RX-7.
Is it posisble for them to fuel the rotary with Hydrogen?
I thought I read somewhere that the next RX might be available with a hydrogen fuel option.
Reply
dejal 9:41AM (6/23/2008)
How/Where will you fill up?
jordan 10:10AM (6/23/2008)
Yes, there is a hydrogen-powered version of the RX-8, though obviously it wasn't mass-produced. Rotary motors are much, much better at using hydrogen as a fuel than piston motors are.
Heck, some people even converted their motors to run on propane and natural gas, just because it's cheaper right now than gasoline.
Kitko 1:43PM (6/23/2008)
Mazda runs a small network o hydrogen filling stations in Japan - or something to that effect.
Mark 9:59AM (6/23/2008)
Well it's not due till late 2010 at the earliest, I would hope that by then the current fuel crisis would have caused the industry to act and start making alternatives more avilable.
Optimistic I know but not ridiculous either.
Reply
Damian 10:14AM (6/23/2008)
30% improvement... so the next gen RX8 will go from 14MPG to 18MPG....
Reply
zentrandi 10:28AM (6/23/2008)
thats why i love mazda, they're very unorthodox.
also, that would be great going from 14 to 18, that's better than 14 to 13, any day.
Alex 10:34AM (6/23/2008)
Are you suggesting that they are not doing enough? In raw numbers that may not sound like much but 30% is quite an increase. Consider the 3. Currently the combined number is 27; a 30% increase would take it to 35.
If you are looking for double digit increases you are dreaming. Mazda is being practical. They have specific goals and those goals are charted on a timeline. If anything other companies, including Toyota and Honda, should be looking to Mazda as an excellent example of moving forward. Increasing power and efficiency while decreasing weight and resource consumption all while maintaining desirable styling and driving dynamics.
Dan 12:53PM (6/23/2008)
Reading this as a 30% improvement on a model by model basis is wishful thinking.
It's a 30% average improvement for the product line as a whole and the bulk of it will come from adding small new models and discontinuing thirsty flops like the CX-7.
Dan 12:54PM (6/23/2008)
Reading this as a 30% improvement on a model by model basis is wishful thinking.
It's a 30% average improvement for the product line as a whole and the bulk of it will come from adding small new models and discontinuing thirsty flops like the CX-7.
Frank 1:50PM (6/23/2008)
Yea the RX-8 gets horrible gas mileage, but you are getting something no one else on the road has, u cant appreciated 14mpg till u hit a 9000 rpm redline takin a turn that no other car would so effortlessly take as an rx-8 ... its a fun car, and unfortunately if its fun - its usually thirsty.
Fort Max 10:25AM (6/23/2008)
Jordan, thanks, that was just what I wanted to hear. Interesting too, are those conversions expensive to do? I've been wanting to get a 3rd gen RX-7 but the running costs have been making me really think long and hard about it.
Reply
EndlessMike 10:30AM (6/23/2008)
Well, all they have to do is drop the RX-8 and they're halfway there. :D
Reply