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february 27, 2018 - Mazda

Mazda European Technology & Design Forum

In 2007 #Mazda announced a long-term technology development vision called Sustainable zoom-zoom, dedicated to creating cars people wanted to drive whilst also taking into consideration the needs of the planet. 

Last year, recognising that stronger ecological measures are needed to safeguard the planet, lower CO2 emissions and drastically reduce green-house gases, #Mazda announced a new long-term strategy – Sustainable zoom-zoom 2030.

Sustainable Zoom-Zoom 2030 has three principle points of focus:

The EARTH: 'Creating a sustainable future in which people and cars coexist with a bountiful, beautiful Earth'. More specifically, reducing Mazda's corporate average 'Well-to-Wheel' CO2 emissions to 50 % of 2010 levels by 2030, and by 90 % by 2050. 

Our SOCIETY at Large: 'Through cars and society that provide safety and peace of mind, create a system that enriches people's lives by offering unrestricted mobility to people everywhere'. This means standardising the brand's i-ACTIVSENSE safety features, and expanding testing into autonomous vehicles and connectivity technology. 

PEOPLE that Drive Mazda’s: 'Enhance customers' mental well-being with the satisfaction that comes from protecting the Earth and contributing to society with a car that offers true driving pleasure'. This builds on the first two points, whilst pursuing Mazda's philosophies of Jinba Ittai the close connection between driver and car, and 'breathing life into the car' with KODO exterior #design. 

 

A MULTI-SOLUTION APPROACH

Committed to the principal of the right solution at the right time, #Mazda has concluded that, until the growing quantity of power from renewables replaces the dirtiest forms of electricity generation such as brown coal, electric powertrains do not currently satisfy society's wish for a drastic reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.

Rather, recognising that the internal combustion engine will help to power the majority of vehicles on the world stage for many years, and make the largest contribution to CO2 reduction, the company is focusing on maximising its efficiency as exemplified by its new, next-generation #skyactivx gasoline engine with the goal of matching, and even bettering, the real-world emissions of EVs (electric vehicles).

This is not to suggest that #Mazda is turning its back on the development of the electric powertrain. The company will introduce an EV and mild hybrid technology or microhybridisation in 2019, models with built-in batteries in 2020, and the brand's first plug-in hybrid in 2021.

To that end, #Mazda has recently formed a new alliance with Toyota, Subaru, Suzuki, Daihatsu, Hino and battery manufacturer Denso. The alliance will involve the seven companies working together from January 2018 to explore joint technologies for the combination of the ideal internal combustion engine with effective electrification technology, for the development of EVs, and for sophisticated infotainment, connected car systems and advanced safety technology.


WELL-TO-WHEEL EMISSIONS EVALUATION

With two thirds of global electricity production currently relying on the use of fossil fuels, #Mazda believes regulations placing the emissions of an EV at zero to be disingenuous.

In order to more correctly measure CO2 emissions over the life cycle of a vehicle, #Mazda is moving beyond current 'Tank-to-Wheel' evaluations (which consider only emissions whilst driving), to a 'Well-to-Wheel' method, which also considers fuel extraction, manufacturing and shipping.

The use of 'Well-to-Wheel' emissions evaluation will allow #Mazda to make a more accurate assessment of the appropriate powertrain development paths to pursue in the immediate future. In this context, the company has reconsidered the ecological merits of EVs which consume power generated by using fossil fuels.

A mid-sized electric car consumes around20 kilowatt-hours of electricity per 100km. Production of this power with coal translates into CO2 emissions of 200g/km; with petroleum, 156g/km; and with LNG (liquefied natural gas) 100g/km.

When converted to a 'Well-to-Wheel' figure, then, the average CO2 emissions of an EV are some 128g/km, whilst that of a #Mazda SKYACTIV-G gasoline engine of comparable power is 142g/km. This means that with as little as a 10 % improvement in efficiency, SKYACTIV-G engine emissions will be on a par with those of EVs.

In fact, a SKYACTIV-G engine produces less CO2 than EVs whose electricity is generated by coal or petroleum. And whilst EVs using LNG-produced electricity have 30 % lower emissions, Mazda's in-house studies lead it to believe it can improve the internal combustion engine sufficiently to match that level.

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