Mazda MX-30 R-EV Brings Back the Rotary, but Not Like You Imagined

Mazda has revealed a plug-in-hybrid version of the MX-30 called the e-Skyactiv R-EV.It adds a small rotary engine that serves as a generator and a 13-gallon fuel tank to extend the car’s driving range.We don’t know yet if or when the R-EV version is coming to the U.S.

Mazda has found a unique solution to the MX-30 EV’s short driving range, and it involves the company’s first rotary engine since the RX-8 sports car. The new Mazda MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is a plug-in hybrid with a small single-rotary gasoline engine that serves as a generator to charge the battery pack and allow for longer drives.

Mazda reduced the size of the lithium-ion battery pack, as the R-EV has a 17.8 kWh lithium-ion pack compared with the EV version’s approximately 32.0-kWh pack. This allows it to go a measly 53 miles on a charge per the WLTP. But when the battery is depleted, the 830 cc, 74-horsepower rotary engine kicks in to supply charge while on the move. The Mazda’s 13 gallon fuel tank is larger than other such “range-extender” setups including the BMW i3 and Chevy Volt, but Mazda hasn’t provided a longer range estimate that includes the gasoline engine’s range boost.

The R-EV’s electric motor is also more powerful than the EV version’s, with its electric motor providing 167 horsepower to the front wheels. Mazda claims it will get to 62 mph in 9.1 seconds, which would be roughly equivalent to the already sluggish EV version’s acceleration. The 3674-pound MX-30 EV got to 60 mph in 8.7 seconds in our testing, and the R-EV’s extra 24 horsepower would likely be offset by the extra weight of the rotary, as the claimed curb weight is 3920 pounds.

Visually, the MX-30 R-EV looks nearly identical to the EV other than its different wheel designs and badging. Mazda is offering a few special color combinations, and there’s a trim level called the Edition R that plays up the rotary theme with embroidered logos inside for the floor mats and seats.

It’s unclear whether or not the MX-30 R-EV will be sold in the U.S. For now, Mazda has only released information on the 2023 MX-30 EV, which is unchanged compared and will again be sold only in California in limited quantities. The company had previously said it was bringing the rotary PHEV here, but now says it has “no update to share on U.S. availability,” which makes us think it could be a while—or never—before this new powertrain gets certified on our shores.

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