Toyota And Mazda May Collaborate On Fuel Cells, SkyActive Engines

Toyota and Mazda may collaborate on fuel cell technology and fuel efficient engines, according to unnamed sources that spoke to Reuters. As car makers struggle to find the powertrains of the future, there is a lot of duplication of effort, and some companies think it would be more efficient and less expensive to work together rather than for each company to blaze its own path.

Mazda has reportedly been working on fuel cell technology by itself, but Toyota is much further along on fuel cells, with the Mirai, its first fuel cell car, already in production. Meanwhile, Mazda has made significant strides in creating its line of SkyActive engines — some of the most energy efficient gasoline and diesel engines on the planet. Why not just trade technology and save each other a lot of time and expense?

Apparently, that’s exactly what the two companies have in mind, although neither is offering many details about their collaboration. The two companies already have a technology and production partnership. Mazda supplies Toyota’s Scion subsidiary with the Mazda2 subcompact sedan, which is marketed as the Scion iA in North America. In return, Mazda could get help on projects like its oft-discussed hydrogen-powered range extender for a plug-in hybrid.

Toyota is placing a huge bet on hydrogen fuel cell technology, which it believe offers the most promising zero emission alternative to conventional cars since both have a similar driving range and refueling time. It has said it is willing to share some of its fuel cell patents with other companies for free as a way of speeding up the development of the hydrogen refueling infrastructure, but has had few takers so far.

Many industry observers believe Toyota is backing the wrong horse. Battery development around the globe is proceeding at a furious pace. The price of batteries is dropping and charging times are being reduced. When drivers can recharge their EVs in 10 minutes instead of 30, the primary advantage of fuel cell cars will evaporate. But the internal combustion engine will be with us for quite a while yet, largely because companies like Mazda continue to find ways to make it more fuel efficient with fewer emissions.

In the end, Toyota may be getting the best of the deal with Mazda.

New Mazda MX-5 revealed

This is the all-new Mazda MX-5. The fourth-generation version of the 25-year-old rear-drive roadster is new from the ground up and enters the market next July with a brand new rear-wheel-drive chassis and two new petrol engines, all built using the company’s SkyActiv technology.

The firm describes the new model as "returning to the original aims of the first generation car and embodying the fundamental pleasure of driving an open-top lightweight sports car in a product suited to today’s needs."

This latest version reverses the trend of generational changes of MX-5s by being lighter and smaller than the car it replaces. Mazda isn’t saying exactly what the new weight figures are but it will admit to savings "of around 100kgs", meaning that the base model should end up being just a shade over one tonne.

As well as using SkyActiv design to cut weight from the Mazda's chassis, the bonnet, boot and front wings are now made from aluminium – and a lighter material has also been used in the soft-top hood construction.

The new car is also 105mm shorter in overall length than the outgoing version, though its wheelbase has only shrunk by 15mm. It is also 20mm lower, but 10mm wider.

The history of the Mazda MX-5 – picture special

So far Mazda will only admit to power being provided by a newly developed SkyActiv engine that will be longitudinally mounted in the nose. However, there are likely to be two new direct-injection petrol engines on offer, one a 1.5-litre and one a 2.0-litre.

Both are reworked versions of engines already powering the company’s hatchbacks and are likely to offer around 140bhp and 180bhp respectively. This represents a small power advantage over current models – our source admitted that the "US market wouldn’t accept less power" – but with the weight savings they promises superior power-to-weight ratios, extra performance and considerable fuel economy and CO2 advantages. 

Mazda is already being bullish about the credentials of the new rear-drive chassis which, as before, has double-wishbone front suspension and a multi-link rear end. Company boss Masamichi Kogai has already talked about the new car recapturing the agility and fun of the first generation model. "The original concept behind the MX-5 was so simple; to offer the pure joy of a lightweight sports car that moves precisely as the driver intends," he said. 

To assist this the engine now sits lower and further back than previously, lowering the centre of gravity and, according to product development boss Nobuhiro Yamamoto, the MX-5 now has a perfect 50:50 weight balance. 

The design work was mainly carried out at the company’s Japanese headquarters under the direction of Ikuo Maeda. Like the company’srecent saloons and hatchbacks it’s referred to as being part of the ‘Kodo’ design philosophy – but it’s a more simple, sculptured look than we’ve come to expect from modern Mazdas. It's more sharp-edged than withprevious MX-5s too. 

Celebrating 25 years of the Mazda MX-5 - picture special

Inside, there are plenty of MX-5 hallmarks. It’s still a snug two-seater and it’s still possible to lower the manually operated soft-top hood with one hand. You still sit low in the car but the view out is claimed to be superior as the bonnet has been lowered and the A-pillars and windscreen header rail have been made thinner.

Like previous incarnations the cabin looks cluttered and all the controls are simple. The centre of the dash top is now dominated by an infotainment screen, derived from the Mazda 3 hatch. Like other Mazdas it’s also controlled by a rotary knob, nestling next to the conventional handbrake. 

There’s also a tangible uplift in cabin quality compared to previous incarnations, with far more soft-touch surfaces and more stowage space. More attention has also been paid to keeping passengers from being buffeted whilst driving with the hood down. Mark 1 MX-5 fans will also no doubt recognise the headrest-mounted speakers, intended to help maintain music volume with the roof down.

Prices will be announced closer to the on sale date but there’s likely to be a small rise compared to current models. As such a base 1.5-litre model should cost around £20,000 when it hits the showrooms.

When the new Mazda MX-5 launches there will also only be a soft-top model, but it's understood that a folding metal-roofed coupé will join the line-up as this model currently accounts for 80% of UK sales.

The Most Fuel Efficient Automaker? It’s Mazda

Electric cars, hybrids, and plug-in hybrids have been plied by almost every automaker in a bid to hit the new mandatory fuel economy ratings laid in place by the U.S. government. So you’d think that a company like Toyota or Nissan, which have been at the forefront of electrificiation, would have the best average fleet fuel economy. Nope, turns out tiny Mazda is the most fuel-efficient automaker in America.

While Mazda has one of the smallest car lineups in America, with just 12 different models to offer, the small, independent automaker has also focused most of its efforts on improving the internal combustion engine. Mazda’s perky-yet-efficient SkyActiv-G gasoline engines have been met with near-universal praise, and my time behind the wheel proved that Mazda’s could be both fun and miserly, if not exactly luxurious.

The average fuel economy of Mazda’s vehicles was 27.5 MPG, and the next-closest competitor was Honda at 27 MPG, with Volkswagen and Subaru tied at 26.2 MPG. Meanwhile Toyota, with its 50 MPG Prius and a while line of Prius spin off vehicles, came in with an average of 25.2 MPG, just behind Nissan and its all-electric Leaf at 25.3 MPG.

With a turbodiesel-powered Mazda 6 to U.S. shores soon, while the Mazda 6 with the i-Eloop supercapacitor system is capable of 40 MPG highway, Mazda is making due without the fancy hybrids other automakers rely on. While there is talk of a hybrid Mazda 3, the company best known for “Zoom zoom” has also managed to become the most fuel frugal too. If any company embrace Gas2’s ideals of making fun cars fast, efficient, and green, it’s Mazda.

 Source: Hybrid Cars

Mazda showcases CNG and hybrid Axela models in Tokyo; Mazda’s approach to environmental performance

At the Tokyo Motor Show, Mazda is showcasing the recently-released Mazda Axela (known as Mazda3 overseas) with a variety of engine types at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show, including a CNG concept and hybrid variants.

The Axela accounts for more than 30% of global sales; the latest Axela is the third generation. The new Axela range also introduces a hybrid vehicle, and marks the first time for a single model launched on the Japanese market to include gasoline, diesel, and hybrid power plants in its powertrain lineup.

In terms of its overall approach to environmental performance, Mazda is pursuing CO₂ reduction by globally deploying its SKYACTIV technology that re-engineers all of the vehicle’s base technologies from scratch. Mazda is reducing vehicle weight, as well as gradually introducing electric devices including battery management (idling stop), brake energy regeneration, and motor drive technologies.

In addition to the challenges posed by CO₂ reduction, Mazda believes that a “multi-solution” approach supporting energy diversity is another key factor in realizing a sustainable future.

Even in 2020, Mazda expects that the world’s key energy sources will continue to be mainly petroleum based and that the majority of vehicles will still be powered by internal combustion engines. With this in mind, Mazda is working on the comprehensive improvement of base technologies using SKYACTIV drive and promoting its Building-Block Strategy in order to meet the company’s stated goal for 2015 of raising the average fuel economy of Mazda vehicles sold worldwide by 30% compared with 2008 levels. Click to enlarge.

Alternative fuels: CNG and E85. Using SKYACTIV-G as a base, Mazda is pursuing the practical use of both a CNG engine and a bioethanol engine that supports E85, the 85% ethanol blend. In this way, in addition to gasoline, diesel or electricity (hybrids), Mazda is providing a “multi-solution” that allows customers to choose a power unit and energy source appropriate to where they live. Mazda says that its ultimate goal is to preserve driving pleasure unchanged, no matter what fuel is used, as well as excellent environmental performance.

The Mazda3 SKYACTIV-CNG Concept unveiled at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show has dedicated features including a gasoline/CNG dual fuel engine based on the SKYACTIV-G 2.0 and a CNG tank.

Major technologies on Mazda3 SKYACTIV-CNG concept. Click to enlarge.

SKYACTIV-HYBRID, the Mazda hybrid system. Mazda introduced its hybrid system, SKYACTIV-HYBRID, to the Japanese-specification production model. The SKYACTIV-HYBRID-dedicated 2.0-liter gasoline engine adopts cooled Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) that recirculates a portion of exhaust gas to the intake side, helping to realize a 14.0:1 compression ratio.

Mazda hybrid system. Click to enlarge.

Recovering thermal energy from exhaust gas shortens engine warm-up time, increasing the opportunities for engine stopping, and thereby improving fuel economy.

The transaxle splits motive power from the engine into drive power and power to the generator, and transfers a combination of motor power and engine power to the drive wheels.

The power control unit steps up/steps down power from the high-voltage battery and supplies it to the motor, the auxiliary equipment, and the auxiliary battery. In addition, it manages electrical power to optimize supply to the motor and high-voltage battery. Furthermore, the unit performs generator control to adjust engine load.

A high-voltage nickel-metal hydride battery is adopted that is specifically developed for automotive use, having a simple structure and superior stability. Current, voltage, temperature and other measures are computer monitored and controlled to constantly maintain optimum status, helping enhance durability.

In addition, the engine incorporates control systems that enable more efficient combustion of fuel over a wider range of driving. The engine adopts a 4-1 exhaust system.

i-ACTIVSENSE and Connect. The new Axela is equipped with the full suite of i-ACTIVSENSE, Mazda’s advanced safety technologies. In addition, the new Axela marks the debut of Mazda Connect, a car connectivity system.

ACTIVSENSE technologies include:

• Forward Obstruction Warning (FOW). The system detects a vehicle travelling ahead and helps the driver avoid collisions by sounding an alarm when there is a risk of collision.
• Rear Vehicle Monitoring (RVM). The system detects vehicles approaching on either side from the rear and alerts the driver to potential risks when changing lanes.
• Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS). The system controls the direction of headlights according to vehicle speed and steering inputs, enabling the driver to see further around curves at night.
• High-Beam Control System (HBC). The system detects oncoming vehicles or vehicles ahead and automatically switches the headlights between high and low beams for safer nighttime driving.
• Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS). The system detects lane markings on the road surface and warns the driver of imminent unintentional lane departures.
• Mazda Radar Cruise Control (MRCC). The system judges the relative speed and distance to the car ahead, and works within a set speed range to maintain a safe following distance, thus alleviating some of the burden on the driver when driving on highways.
• Smart City Brake Support (SCBS). If the system detects a risk of collision with a vehicle travelling ahead at speeds between approximately 4‒30km/h, it automatically applies the brakes and reduces engine output with the aim of avoiding the collision or reducing the severity of impact.
• Acceleration Control for Automatic Transmission (Japanese-specification models only). The system comes into effect if the driver presses the accelerator pedal more than a prescribed amount when an obstacle is detected in front. It suppresses sudden acceleration by curbing engine output while alerting the driver with an alarm and a warning light on the meter display.
• Smart Brake Support (SBS). This helps the driver avoid or reduce the severity of collisions, particularly when driving at speeds above 15km/h, by automatically applying the brakes if there is a danger of collision.

Source: Green Car Congress