Mazda plans to boost fuel efficiency 30 percent, add hybrids and EVs by 2015
In a mild role-reversal of sorts, Mazda CEO Takashi Yamanouchi has said that his company will in fact venture into electric vehicles and hybrids, but not until 2015. In the meantime, the Japanese automaker will focus on incremental improvements in the efficiency of gasoline and diesel engines and strive for an overall weight reduction in all of its vehicles with the goal of increasing fuel efficiency 30 percent by 2015.
The upcoming Tokyo Motor Show is expected to serve as a showcase for new engine technology from Mazda. According to Yamanouchi, "Our new gasoline engines will achieve the same fuel economy as current diesel engines, and our diesel engines will achieve similar fuel economy as existing hybrids."
Taking this incremental approach will allow Mazda "to offer affordable eco-friendly vehicles to 90 percent of the car-buying public, not to just a limited segment of the market." Expect to see stop/start, improved aerodynamics and low rolling-resistance tires added to the aforementioned weight reduction combined to create relatively low-cost eco-friendly vehicles.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 2:55PM (4/13/2009)
This is a limp and useless car compagny, don't buy their products for any reasons whatsoever. Just keep one of their car if you got one and if it's leased, then try to get rid of it, if not then continue to pay the rent and gasoline and dirty engine oil and the numerous taxes on leasing and crappy maintenance fees that are not explained in their ads and at the time the contract is signed. This is just a banks and goverment protected compagny and the driver is just been rids of his money while suffocating the biology related component neccessary to live, air, water, soil, fishs, grass, meat, cancer of lungs, chemio-therapy, cremation or been put 6 feets under the ground for 10 000$ to 15 000$. These engineers are just looking secret porno stuff at evening and the banks managers is capitalizing on that to control the compagny.
They now intend to maintain gasoline technology up to 2015 ??? I tell you don't buy anything except worn-out used cars from mexico at 500$ or keep your actual ride forever. The maintenance of used cars can be a new way to help the economy, cars can stand 30 years or more if well maintain by people that are not zombies like some folks in cuba that forged their repair-parts and still drive 1950's cars.
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Matt 1:45AM (6/15/2009)
I'm assuming you lit up your crack pipe just before typing this post. It makes absolutely no sense to people who are not high.
PeterG 3:06PM (4/13/2009)
Good stuff.
I am not against Hybrids, but I am very happy to see at least one manufacture that plans to go all out driving fuel saving measures in normal models (weight, aerodynamic,ICE improvements, tires).
If all manufacturers did this for all their cars it would have a bigger impact on fleet fuel economy than 10% of the fleet going hybrid.
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Eletruk 6:40PM (4/13/2009)
Jeez, it's only been 2 weeks since Mazda announced they WERE NOT going to build hybrids:
http://wot.motortrend.com/6503256/green/mazda-no-to-hybrids-yes-to-weight-reduction-upgrading-current-tech/index.html
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Snowdog 7:01PM (4/13/2009)
I am Mazda Fan (Previously owned a Miata and 323). Both were great cars, then I came down with a case of stupid and bought a Ford ZX2.
I could go for another Mazda in a heartbeat. Especially if they give us good gearing for MPG on the manual transmissions. Something Honda seems allergic to.
Now if they could just give us a less goofy front end on the Mazda 3.
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abetterengine 12:18AM (10/15/2009)
I have a High Torque Power Offset Piston Engine invention U.S. patent no. 7,128,042 issued 31 Oct 2006. It is also decribed on the internet at www.abtterengine.com. I would like to license it.
Basically, the engine comprises an ignition timing gear engaging a pair of 1-way clutches. The 1-way clutches are each driven by a piston rod that engages each 1-way clutch outer race.
The Patent's FIG. 8 and FIG. 9 show 4 pistons. A special idler 40A in FIG 8 keeps the 4 pistons timed. Idler 40A in FIG 9 is displaced which allows pistons 1 and 2 to power the straight power shaft 8 while pistons 3 and 4 are inactive without drag on the engine. So-called inactive pistons in common hybrids add drag to the engine. This feature is explained with simple math in FIG 10 as it applies to a crankshaft engine .
The patent's Fig 6 shows a piston that reciprocates in an arc centered a fixed distance from the shaft axis.
In my patent no. 6,571,925, issued 3 Jun 2003, a 1 way clutch uses a gear to transmit torque between its outer race and hub to power the engine's straight output shaft. A simple spline transmits power to the straight power output shaft.
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Robert Giuliani 4:50PM (9/13/2009)
Has Mazda had an opportunity to review my offer to license my engine invention?
I made another oversight error in my description quoted next: "In my patent no. 6,571,925, issued 3 Jun 2003, a 1 way clutch uses a gear to transmit torque between its outer race and hub to power the engine's straight output shaft." The 1-way clutch does not use a gear to transmit the torque. It uses a lever.
I also have an invention that will improve my invention's fuel efficiency even more. I have not yet applied for its patent but I am prepared to do it.
In addition to automobiles, my engine can be used in trucks, buses, high power marine engines, farm tractors and possibly helicopters.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
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