Mazda is reportedly testing laser ignition in its rotary engines

We all know that Mazda has been the only brand to remain faithful to the rotary engine for many years, even though the fuel and oil consumption of this type of engine is somewhat higher than that of an Otto-cycle engine.

Low emissions have never been the strong point of rotary engines. It cannot be said that Mazda has been greatly concerned about emissions, given that it already has SkyActiv engines on the market. But when it comes to rotary engines, Mazda needed to rethink them so they can comply with future fuel consumption and emissions standards worldwide.

And this is where laser ignition comes into play, which, by the way, is nothing new in the automotive world. The system eliminates spark plugs entirely, since a small laser beam 9 mm in diameter and one centimetre long is enough to ignite the petrol-air mixture.

Igniting the mixture with a laser allows combustion to be far more efficient and enables more precise control of ignition timing and spark point settings. In short, the rotary engine should not be dismissed by manufacturers and certain users, but rather become another efficient engine option.