The future of Mazda Hybrids

OK, so Mazda has had the hydrogen-powered rotaries in development for over a decade. They've opened a hydrogen fueling station. The Mazda Tribute Gas-Electric Hybrid is coming out in the second quarter of 2007. Whats next?

How about a hybrid fuel \ hydrogen rotary engine + electric power.


This is the Mazda 5 Hyrdogen RE, which is powered by the Gas\Hydrogen Hybrid Rotary engine, plus an electric motor. “It’s very much in the prototype stage at the moment,” Jeremy Barnes, group manager for product communications at Mazda North American Operations, told reporters at the Detroit Motor Show.

Mazda calls their gas/electric/hydrogen vehicles HEV (Hybrid Electric Vehicle) and will now be combining their rotary engine creating the first vehicle to have a HEV rotary engine.