Mazda MX5 NE (potentially)
Discussion
https://www.thedrive.com/news/44267/mazda-patents-...
I thought I'd put this here because whilst its not really a BEV it is at least an interesting hybrid arrangement! The MX5 is a lightweight 2 seater and of course they don't want to fall into the trap of adding more battery to add more powerful motors to overcome the weight added by the batteries/motors.
I'm sure in time, that won't be a problem, but in the short term, EVs are going to remain heavy and that isn't really mazda. So their proposal:
ICE engine with a 25 kW P1 motor on the back.
17 kW P4 motor in each wheel hub.
48V 3.5 kWh Lithium pack
Capacitor array.
Gearbox at the back? (which it sounds like won't be a manual either)
It seems like the capacitor bank is used to power the front wheels and the battery is there for the main drive motor and also topping the caps. I would guess the caps can take brake energy and give bursts of juice for acceleration and mid-corner antics.
All of this is found in a patent they filed a few years ago. Its oddly specific for a patent. Normally you try to be quite broad and catch-all, so you can claim someone else is infringing.
I thought I'd put this here because whilst its not really a BEV it is at least an interesting hybrid arrangement! The MX5 is a lightweight 2 seater and of course they don't want to fall into the trap of adding more battery to add more powerful motors to overcome the weight added by the batteries/motors.
I'm sure in time, that won't be a problem, but in the short term, EVs are going to remain heavy and that isn't really mazda. So their proposal:
ICE engine with a 25 kW P1 motor on the back.
17 kW P4 motor in each wheel hub.
48V 3.5 kWh Lithium pack
Capacitor array.
Gearbox at the back? (which it sounds like won't be a manual either)
It seems like the capacitor bank is used to power the front wheels and the battery is there for the main drive motor and also topping the caps. I would guess the caps can take brake energy and give bursts of juice for acceleration and mid-corner antics.
All of this is found in a patent they filed a few years ago. Its oddly specific for a patent. Normally you try to be quite broad and catch-all, so you can claim someone else is infringing.
Murph7355 said:
Looks overly complicated to me.
I'd have thought compromising a little on range and accepting a bit more weight but going purely electric would have made more sense.
This. A very complicated solution to the relatively simple challenge of creating a mild hybrid.I'd have thought compromising a little on range and accepting a bit more weight but going purely electric would have made more sense.
Mazda in particular seem a long way behind in the EV space. The MX-30 is a very poor but it's possible the drivetrain could be tweaked to offer a single motor, 150bhp, 150 mile of range BEV MX-5 that shouldn't have too much of a weight penalty over the existing ICE car? BMW managed to offer 175bhp, 190 miles, RWD and 1250KG with the i3 for around the same price as the current GTS MX-5?
Back when the patent was filed, it wasn't so clear what would be allowed in terms of hybrid post ICE bans. Lots of firms will have filed patents for solutions that just maybe could make sense as exceptions/workarounds to the ban. It doesn't mean it's now something they intend to do anything with - it just meant that at some point in time it was something they thought they could potentially do one day, and if they did, they'd like first to shut the door on anyone else who might have the same idea.
So I agree, as it stands now, I think we're unlikely to see anything so unique in hybrid terms from Mazda.
So I agree, as it stands now, I think we're unlikely to see anything so unique in hybrid terms from Mazda.
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