Mazda debuts all-electric MX-30 compact SUV, and rotary plug-in hybrid

Mazda has announced the all-new MX-30, the automaker’s first battery electric vehicle (BEV) to the US market. Aimed at the California market, the MX-30 is a compact SUV-styled car that will also herald the return of the Mazda rotary engine for a plug-i… Continue reading Mazda debuts all-electric MX-30 compact SUV, and rotary plug-in hybrid

The Rotary-X Engine is a Revolution in Thermodynamics

If you’re running an army, chances are good that you need a lot of portable power for everything from communications to weapons control systems. When it comes to your generators, every ounce counts. The smaller and lighter you can get …read more

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LiquidPiston’s “inside-out” rotary X-Engine wins Army research contract

Connecticut-based company LiquidPiston is developing a portable generator for the US Army that uses its X-Engine, a fresh and extremely powerful take on the rotary engine that’ll deliver as much power as the Army’s current-gen-set at one-fifth the size… Continue reading LiquidPiston’s “inside-out” rotary X-Engine wins Army research contract

3D-Printing Wankel Engine from Mazda’s Beloved “Rotary Rocket”

Although there was briefly a company called Rotary Rocket, the term is much better known as a nickname for the Mazda RX-7 — one of the few cars that used a Wankel, or rotary, engine. If you ever wondered how these worked, why not print a model? That’s what [Engineering Explained] did. They printed a 1/3 scale model and made a video explaining and demonstrating its operation. The model itself was from Thingiverse, created by [EricThePoolBoy].

One thing we really liked about the model was the use of lights to show the different stages of combustion. Cool air intake is …read more

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See-Through Rotary Engine Reveals Wankel Magic

The Wankel rotary engine is known for its troubled life in the mainstream automotive industry, its high power-to-weight ratio, and the intoxicating buzz it makes at full tilt. Popular with die-hard enthusiasts and punishing to casual owners, it stands as perhaps the most popular alternative internal combustion design to see the light of day. There are myriad diagrams out there to explain its operation, but what if you could see inside?

The video comes courtesy of [Warped Perception], and features a small Wankel rotary engine intended for model aircraft. The engine’s end plate is removed and replaced with a transparent …read more

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