| Mazda Motor Corp., a Japanese automotive | | | | In the test, the rotary engine’s output |
| manufacturer, has planned to shift from fossil fuel | | | | swooped from 210 hp and 164 pound-feet of |
| to renewable resources through the dual-version | | | | torque as it runs on gasoline to 110 hp and 89 |
| of its rotary engine. To reduce the risk of | | | | pound-feet as it switched to hydrogen. |
| abnormal combustion or detonation, the rotary | | | | The use of gasoline requires 7.5 seconds for the |
| was sustained with separate chambers for the | | | | RX-8 to run 100 kilometer per hour, considering |
| intake and combustion strokes, making it ideal for | | | | that the dual-fuel version is heavier than a |
| hydrogen-fuel use. | | | | conventional RX-8 by about 130 kilograms. As the |
| The engine went through a test in an | | | | vehicle switch to hydrogen, the elapsed time goes |
| experimental RX-8, driven at Mazda’s | | | | up to 18 seconds. Though it seems to be |
| sprawling Hiroshima manufacturing complex. The | | | | something to be worried about, it was not actually |
| venue is considered one of the world’s | | | | a problem. The driver could purposely push a |
| largest plants, considering that it sits on 2.2 million | | | | button and select the gasoline side of the |
| square meters. The test has proven the engine | | | | RX-8’s dual personality. |
| to possess decent fuel consumption. The 110 liters | | | | The hydrogen use was proven to be perfect for |
| of hydrogen stored in two tanks pressurized to | | | | driving in a tamer pace. Though there are still |
| 5,000 psi has been consumed in 100 kilometers of | | | | some NOx emissions from the combustion |
| driving. And, the 61 liter gasoline tank enables the | | | | process, it is significantly regulated by a catalytic |
| vehicle to run up to 600 km. | | | | converter along with a quality Mazda oxygen |
| An impressive side of the engine comes from the | | | | sensor. Thus, the emissions do not contribute to |
| capability of the gasoline tank to be filled with just | | | | the present growing pollution. |
| about any liquid fuel. That means the RX-8 could | | | | The Japanese automotive has been considering |
| be powered with E85, a blend of 85 per cent | | | | the optimization of the engine. In fact, the RX-8 is |
| ethanol and 15 per cent gasoline. | | | | currently optimized to run on gasoline, considering |
| The test has also proven two things. First, the | | | | that it is the dirtier fuel that needs to be properly |
| twin hydrogen injectors in each of the two | | | | burned to keep the emissions at its lowest. When |
| cylinders efficiently worked, creating no | | | | tuned to consume the best of hydrogen, the |
| deterioration in the operating characteristics. The | | | | engine’s power output is boosted to up to 35 |
| idle is relatively smooth along with the engine that | | | | per cent. Teaming up the hydrogen with E85 |
| provides linear pull as the revs build. | | | | could also help in enhancing such power. |
| Subsequently, there is a massive effect on power | | | | At present, Mazda is still looking for other steps |
| output (hydrogen packs approximately half the | | | | that could create a machine potentially capable of |
| punch of gasoline) brought up by the energy | | | | providing the demands of the people for |
| density difference between gasoline and hydrogen. | | | | environmentally friendly vehicles. |