Mazda is diligently working to save the internal combustion engine from a slow death brought on by electric vehicles. The independent Japanese automaker has been perfecting its Skyactiv engine lineup, including the Skyactiv-G and new Skyactiv-X. The latter is particularly interesting as it combines the strong points of both a petrol and diesel-powered engine without either of their weak points.
Mazda is working on their next project – Skyactiv-3. It’s a new petrol engine designed to increase thermal efficiency by roughly 27%, making the engine 57% thermally efficient. That’s far better than even the most effacement engines out there. Mazda says the Skyactive-3’s efficiency means it will achieve well-to-wheel emissions similar to an EV.
What is well-to-wheel emissions? It’s the overall CO2 emissions emitted from the time oil leaves the well to the time it propels a vehicle. This includes the mining and processing of crude oil.
