It looks like Mazda is getting a rotor-based hybrid sports car ready to rumble, The Drive reports quoting a recent patent application. The powertrain includes as many as three e-motors.
The image submitted by the automaker depicts a coupe with a long hood, a short rear overhang and what looks like a two-seat interior. The rotary engine resides in its usual place – under the hood, accompanied by two small-time electric motors.
Rated at just 23 horsepower (17 kW) each, they drive the front wheels. The Drive says the patent mentions two possible designs: in the first one, the motors drive the front axle. In the second one, the motors are built straight into the wheels and drive them independently.
Another electric mill goes to the rear axle and hits it with 36 hp (26 kW). The traction battery goes behind the seats. The drivetrain electronics on board runs on a low 48V, which Mazda claims ensures engineering ease and safety.
It is unknown when or in what form the patented car might reach the market. Mazda hasn’t mentioned any plans for new sports cars lately, although it did reveal a coupe concept last fall (see the rest of the gallery). That one was generally understood as a precursor to the next-gen Mazda MX-5. As for the company’s beloved Wankel engine, it has already made its comeback under the hood of the MX-30 range-extender SUV (see video).