Two-stroke engines have become obsolete in the last five decades due to high emissions and poor fuel economy. However, Mazda is evidently looking to bring back the defunct technology to incorporate in their future gasoline-powered vehicles.
The Drive recently noted that the Japanese automaker has patented a new supercharged two-stroke engine design. The company claims that the design ensures “improved fuel economy” through an advanced spark-controlled compression ignition mechanism that allows the engine to run on a sparse fuel-air mixture.
The engine also incorporates Variable Valve Timing (VVT) to enhance fuel combustion and deliver more power when needed. The root-supercharger increases the compression ratio throughout the rev range, allowing for a broader torque band. It is also less complex and offers a better power-to-weight ratio as it includes fewer mechanical parts.
The performance characteristics of this engine suggest that Mazda wants to include it in a sports car, although, the company is yet to comment on these reports.
Mazda has an illustrious history of taking chances on unconventional ideas such as their world-famous Wankel Rotary engine that defined a generation of sports cars manufactured in Japan. It seems that the company seeks to do it again with the resurrection of its supercharged two-stroke engine design.
