Is Mazda planning for the Wankel engine to become a hydrogen range extender for electric cars?

We already knew that Mazda had plans to do more than simply take the Mazda RX-8 out of production and consign the rotary engine to oblivion after the many years of service it gave its models. We also knew that this new life would be as part of a hybrid powertrain, but what we didn’t expect was for it to be powered by hydrogen.

According to reports coming out of Japan, the idea for the future use of the rotary engine is that it will be an engine that helps extend the range of its electric vehicles, but also runs on hydrogen. If you’re raising an eyebrow in disbelief right now, we should tell you that several hydrogen-powered Mazda RX-8s already existed a few years ago, which we also showed you here.

The brand’s plans for these engines to run on hydrogen seem to be less science fiction and more of a real possibility for next year. According to Takashi Yamanouchi, this type of engine would start being offered on a leasing basis as early as 2013.

And what would happen from a technical point of view? It seems that the Wankel engine would work better with hydrogen than with petrol. Although it delivers smooth operation and has a final weight and a much smaller size than a piston engine, the Wankel has never been sufficiently appreciated by users over the years and has earned a reputation for several negative aspects, such as high oil or fuel consumption and high emission levels. Perhaps now it will find its second chance.