In the third week of December, during a technical briefing held for the media at the Mazda R&D Center in Yokohama, a prototype range-extender (currently under development) utilizing RE technology was unveiled.

For some time now, the rotary engine has received a lot of attention as a viable tool in which to extend the range of electric vehicles (EV), as this experimental unit clearly demonstrated. Rotary engines have the advantage of being both compact and very quiet. Installed transversely, this 330cc single-rotary engine powers a generator, which in turn, charges the battery, thereby extending the rage of the vehicle, all of which is possible in a surprisingly small space. The engine produces 22kW at 4,500rpm, and fits nicely in the space under the luggage area of a Demio EV, which was being used for the experiment. Furthermore, with the unit mounted transversely, it was possible to suspend it from the frame, which helped suppress vibration of an engine that produces very little vibration to begin with. Everything about the RE range-extender is good, and we feel that it won't be long before the feasibility of this technology is realized. In this explanation, utilization of this technology for cogeneration generators was also made valid. The rotary engine, which once impressed us with its neck-breaking acceleration and excessive RPM range, can still produce a sufficient amount of power in a small engine displacement. If we can capitalize on the motor's low-fuel consumption, this technology could become a real service for a mobility society and even gain, from the grave, Dr. Felix Wankel's approval.

The Demio EV used in this experiment was equipped with an RE range-extender. We first started out at a speed not less than 10km/h. Behind the passenger seat, near the rear of the vehicle, we could hear the quiet hum of the motor. As this was only an experiment, we did not take any measures to muffle the sound. In fact, it would be ideal to use some kind of device to amplify the sound. After all, it's such a pleasure to hear that rotary engine rev, isn't it? In conclusion, I'd have to say that this is definitely an exciting technology for all you rotary-engine fans out there.