Hybrid Sports Car? | Green Energy News

February 8, 2004 – Vol.8 No.46

HYBRID SPORTS CAR?

In 1989 Mazda revived the traditional lightweight convertible sports car when it launched the MX-5 Miata. Now after 15 years the car is recognized by the Guiness Book of World Records as the best selling two-seat sports car of all time.

Currently in its second generation, Mazda is in the planning stages of its third, and it could possibly - but not definitely - be a hybrid electric according to Mazda. Mazda says its Ibuki is a possible direction for the next-gen Miata.

In the detail on the car published by the company, the Ibuki power train includes an integrated electric assist motor, installed alongside the flywheel like Honda’s Integrated Motor Assist used in the Civic hybrid. The electric motor boosts acceleration, restarts the engine after it automatically shuts off instead of idling (idle-stop) and acts as a generator while braking to recharge the vehicle’s battery pack.

As sports cars meant for performance, the first and second generation cars offer adequate, but not outstanding fuel economy. But Mazda focused on weight reduction on the concept car, that along with the hybrid configuration, and a smaller internal combustion engine, should offer improved fuel economy - if the car goes into production, that is. Weight reduction comes from the use of aluminum, magnesium, and carbon fiber in various components as well as recyclable plastic body panels.

It should be noted that the press release for this car which Mazda calls a Concept, is almost six pages long. A lot of information about a car that it may or may not build. But don’t get too excited, the first generation car was produced for ten years, the second is now only five years old.