New 2022 Mazda RX9 Hybrid – As we recently mentioned, Mazda has a mid-size rear-wheel-drive platform for cars, and a Skyactiv-X, an inline-six, is being developed for the upcoming Mazda 6 car. To reduce the development costs, this new platform must support other vehicles as well and that includes the forthcoming CX-9 SUV. The platform isn’t the only trick in its arsenal. We’ve learned that 48-volt mild hybrids and plug-ins are on the pipeline as well, and the latest patent application shows Mazda is looking into the possibility of electric motors that run inside the wheels that are powered by capacitors and the high-tech hybrid configuration could be in the pipeline to be a part of the in the future Mazda RX-9 Coupe.
The patent, which was discovered via Japanese Mazda blog T’s Media, appears to be an update to the patent that was filed earlier in the year 2000. Both patents describe the rear-drive vehicle with a front-engine fitted with two electric in-wheel hub motors on the front axle. There is also and a third motor at the rear of the motor, as well as a capacitor and a battery made of lithium. The first file depicts an inline four-cylinder engine however, things become more intriguing in the most recent version, which was released on the 9th of April. In the latest filing, the “V-type” engine of the unknown number of cylinders and an unidentified Wankel rotating engine are shown.
2022 Mazda RX9 Hybrid Drivetrain
The main issue of in-wheel electric motors traditionally has been the additional weight that they carry that can adversely affect riding and handling. The solution offered by Mazda is a small motor, located in the hubs on the front of the wheel and powered by a double-layer of a capacitor within the engine compartment (on the top of the engine inside the case of the rotary, or placed between the banks of cylinders of the engine with V). A capacitor can quickly release its energy, but also recuperate the energy that is derived from braking better than batteries. A speed sensor determines which motors in the front wheels are used.
New Design
What is the best way for Mazda to think about driving the wheels using such small motors? The motors in the wheel and capacitor are operating at a higher voltage than the other parts of the vehicle (120 Volts). The higher voltage indicates that a motor can generate the same amount of power that a motor operating at a lower voltage with a lesser current. In turn, less current means that the wiring and windings are smaller. As per the patent application, it is an e-AWD that is a lightweight and compact solution. However, as our technical editor notes that an in-wheel motor will not offer the same advantage in torque that one on the other end of the axle due to leverage.
To handle the various voltages in the system there are three inverters used in conjunction with the drive motor that is located that is between the engine (which is not equipped with a flywheel) and the driveshaft. This 25-kilowatt permanent magnet synchronous unit operates with a 48-volt 3.5-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack (oddly installed in the driveshaft tunnel that runs through the middle in the body of the automobile) and can drive the rear wheels along with or in lieu that of an internal combustion engine. It is crucially important that this design occupies the space that a normal transmission would be located, on the rear of the engine, so the Mazda design requires the rear transaxle to be installed. One advantage that the transaxle in the rear mentioned in the patent application is the interior space that is created by not having a motor protruding out of the floor (never think about that battery). This will allow for an equidistant and central seating position, which is something Mazda is currently focusing on. Rear transaxles are ideal for weight distribution in front-engine cars. That’s why they are often seen in sports cars like the Corvette.
Specs
The result is a remarkably complex design for a front-engine, all-wheel-drive hybrid that may use the rotary engine. While it’s possible that the technology could be modified to fit the coming RWD Mazda 6 and its inline-six engine document suggests that the powertrain will feature a standard eight-speed transmission tacked on the rear. The rear transaxle as well as everything else mentioned in this patent isn’t part of Mazda’s arsenal at present We’d be shocked to see the automaker use anything similar to this in its mass-market vehicles within the next few years. However, for a luxury car such as the on-again and off-again Mazda RX-9, developing a three-motor eAWD rotary hybrid appears less remote. It’s also an injustice to let a stunning design such as the RX-Vision concept be wasted.
2022 Mazda RX9 Rotary Hybrid Price & Release Date
Although it’s still too early to establish a time frame for the debut of the brand new RX-9 we may have the car as early as 2020. And it’s likely to bring certain aspects of the technology which will be used in Mazda’s new range-extension hybrid, which will be announced next month. The RX-9 is Mazda’s most prestigious sports car, and you are likely to see it with a price that is at minimum PS50,000, to compete with the brand new Toyota Supra and Porsche Cayman.