Yahoo Autos The Next Mazda Miata Is Getting Electrified
Mazda recently announced sweeping electrification plans, aiming to have all models feature some form of electrification by 2030. Yes, that means the Miata will be electrified, too.
The company confirmed to Road & Track that it intends to electrify its iconic two-door roadster. Check your expectations, though, because "electrify" is a nebulous word. It doesn't mean that a fully electric Miata will be here by the close of the decade. Instead, it means that the Miata will have some percentage of its power come from an electric motor.
"Mazda is seeking to electrify the MX-5 Miata in an effort to have all models feature a form of electrification by 2030," a spokesperson from Mazda said in a statement to Road & Track. "We will work hard to make it a lightweight, affordable, open two-seater sports car in order to meet the needs of customers."
On the conservative side, that could mean a 48-volt "mild-hybrid" integrated starter-generator setup. That system—used in cars like the Mercedes E450 or BMW 540i—uses a small electric generator to run the cars high-voltage electronics, provides some assistance in getting the car rolling from a stop, regenerate power, and allow the engine to turn off while coasting or stopped. These systems significantly improve efficiency and can be used as a torque fill in performance applications, but the electric motors never power the car alone.
A more conventional hybrid also would satisfy the electrification component. Think Prius, where the car can travel small distances on electric energy stored in a small battery pack charged exclusively by braking or power from the internal-combustion engine. A plug-in hybrid could also be possible, but they tend to be heavy. The same problem plagues pure EVs. That gives us reason to doubt that the Miata will pivot toward a powertrain where the majority of the propulsion comes from a battery. Keeping weight in check is essential to the mission of the Miata, a fact Mazda knows well.
You Might Also Like
