New Mazda MX-30 R-EV revealed – with a range-extending rotary engine

The new Mazda MX-30 R-EV marks the return of the rotary engine, in a long-range plug-in hybrid alternative to the pure electric MX-30.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV

The new Mazda MX-30 R-EV plug-in hybrid heralds the revival of the rotary engine as an ingenious alternative for drivers who want an electric car, but require a longer range.

Revealed at the 2023 Brussels Motor Show, the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV is available to order now with prices starting from £31,250 – exactly the same as the fully electric Mazda MX-30 EV.

Capable of 53 miles on electric power only, the addition of the rotary engine and a 50-litre petrol tank gives the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV an overall range of more than 370 miles.

This is considerably better than the 124-mile range of the Mazda MX-30 EV.

UK deliveries start in the summer and, to celebrate the return of the rotary engine, there is a launch edition Mazda MX-30 R-EV Edition R. This has unique rotary-inspired details and costs £37,895.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV: Extending the range

Mazda MX-30 R-EV

Instead of a 35.5kWh battery, the Mazda MX-30 R-EV uses a 17.8kWh battery – exactly half the size. This saves both weight and cost.

However, because rotary engines are so compact, Mazda has been able to fit an 830cc single-rotor petrol engine alongside the generator and motor within the engine bay.

It’s incredibly compact and lightweight, so the Mazda MX-30 R-EV plug-in hybrid weighs almost the same as the pure electric version.

What’s more, the rotary engine acts solely as a generator, creating electricity to power the motor.

There is no mechanical connection between the engine and the wheels, meaning the MX-30 R-EV always feels like a smooth, fast-reacting electric car to drive.

What’s more, because system power output is 170hp, rather than the 145hp of the electric version, it accelerates a little faster: 0-62mph takes 9.1 seconds.

For those who want to stick with battery power, the 53-mile pure electric range can be boosted via 50kW DC chargers, with a 20-80 percent charge taking 25 minutes.

There are three driving modes. Normal sticks in EV mode as long as possible, but will switch on the engine when the driver demands more power than the battery can deliver.

EV mode, meanwhile, uses electric power until the battery is drained. And a Charge mode can save electric power for later, in increments of 10 percent.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV: A tax-friendly choice

In the official WLTP fuel consumption test, the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV averages 282.5mpg.

Of course, as with all plug-in hybrids, this figure is meaningless. But it does result in a CO2 emissions figure of just 21g/km, which most certainly isn’t.

It equates to a low Benefit-in-Kind tax rating of eight percent, which is hugely significant to high-mileage company car drivers (although it’s worth noting the pure electric version has a BiK rating of just two percent).

For those not yet able to go electric, the new Mazda MX-30 R-EV is a great, fuel-saving stepping stone, with the long range that fleet drivers demand.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV: Return of the rotary

Mazda has been making rotary engines for more than 50 years. The concept is a core part of the firm’s DNA, and its ingenious engineers jumped at the chance to bring it back, a decade after the final rotary-engined Mazda RX-8 sports car was produced.

Not only are rotary engines extremely compact, they are also uncannily smooth – meaning the vibration-free silence of an electric car won’t be spoiled even when the engine is running.  

The new Mazda MX-30 R-EV has an 830cc single-rotor engine; this contrasts with the 654cc twin-rotor unit in the RX-8.

It is such a compact powerplant that, when combined with the electric motor and generator, the package measures less than 840mm wide – so it can use the same body frame as the Mazda MX-30 EV.

Because it acts purely as a generator, as a series hybrid, it doesn’t need a gearbox either, saving further weight.

The new Mazda MX-30 R-EV engine uses direct fuel injection, boosting efficiency and emissions, as well as an exhaust gas recirculation system.

Mazda also insists the rotor tip seals are extremely wear-resistant, while the sides of the rotor housing are coated with a plasma spray to reduce wear and friction.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV Edition R

The special edition Mazda MX-30 R-EV Edition R has bespoke badging, depicting a rotor with the letter ‘e’ accented in orange. It also comes with unique Maroon Rouge Metallic side pillars, on top of a black base colour.

The Edition R’s key fob has horizontal edges that curve at the same angle as the sides of the rotor – while the sculpted slides are 2.5mm wide, the same as the rotor tip seals. It’s gloss-coated and also marked out with the Edition R rotor logo.   

The seat headrests and floor mats feature the Edition R logo, too.

Mazda MX-30 R-EV prices

Entry-level Mazda MX-30 R-EV prices are identical to the Mazda MX-30 EV.

As you move up to top-spec Makato models, it does cost a little more, but the difference is less than £500 – because this version comes as standard with an adaptor allowing owners to power devices via a three-pin plug.

There are three core trim levels, plus the limited-run Edition R launch model, as detailed here:

  • Mazda MX-30 R-EV Prime-Line: £31,250
  • Mazda MX-30 R-EV Exclusive-Line: £33,150
  • Mazda MX-30 R-EV Makato: £36,000
  • Mazda MX-30 R-EV Edition R: £37,950

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Richard Aucock
Richard Aucockhttps://www.richardaucock.co.uk/
Richard is director at Motoring Research. He has been with us since 2001, and has been a motoring journalist even longer. He won the IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future Award in 1996 and the acclaimed Sir William Lyons Award in 1998. Both awards are run by the Guild of Motoring Writers and Richard is currently vice chair of the world's largest organisation for automotive media professionals. Richard is also a juror and Steering Committee director for World Car Awards and the UK juror for the AUTOBEST awards.

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