Many manufacturers are now turning to electric or hybrid engines to reduce the fuel consumption of their vehicles, but there is still a certain percentage of the population that does not necessarily want electrified engines. That said, that does not mean they do not want a fuel-efficient vehicle. For these consumers, Mazda has a solution with its brand new SKYACTIV-X system.
When the SKYACTIV-G engine was launched 10 years ago, the automotive industry saw that it was still possible to improve the traditional combustion engine. SKYACTIV technology has been designed to optimize the engine as we know it, and ensure you get the most power while minimizing fuel consumption.
To do this, Mazda engineers made several improvements to the gasoline engine. They reduced internal friction, improved airflow in the engine and exhaust system, and increased the compression ratio in addition to lightening the gearboxes and chassis. Today, we get the second generation of SKYACTIV technology with SKYACTIV-X.
Better fuel economy with Mazda’s SKYACTIV-X
Yes, it is still possible to improve the gasoline engine to make it more powerful and more fuel efficient at the same time. The new SKYACTIV-X system is proof.
For starters, Mazda engineers once again raised the compression rate. This time we are talking about a compression ratio of 16: 1 which is simply huge. With such a compression ratio, it is possible to ignite the air-fuel mixture without a sparkplug using just the compression. This is the same principle as a diesel engine, and the end result is that there is far less fuel wastage, so it is possible to get a maximum of power from each drop of gasoline.
That said, the SKYACTIV-X engine still uses a sparkplug to ensure optimal performance even in cold weather. Except that the spark is not always necessary and under optimal conditions, the engine can ignite the air-fuel mixture in the cylinders without it.
According to Mazda, this provides 20% lower fuel economy and more torque. These two characteristics are also found in the majority of diesel engines.
To learn more about the revolutionary new SKYACTIV-X technology, contact us today at Gyro Mazda!