Talk Morgan Forums Community The Malvern Arms Electric Cars

This is the sort of hybrid that makes huge sense - https://www.roadandtrack.com/news/a42485378/mazda-rotary-back-plug-in-hybrid-crossover/


"The R-EV uses an 830-cc rotary gasoline engine to extend the 53-mile all-electric range (on the more generous WLTP drive cycle). That engine provides 75 hp, but not to the wheels. The ICE exclusively charges the battery, with all propulsion coming from the electric motor. That motor makes 167 hp in this application, with 191 lb-ft of torque on tap."

... the tiny & light rotary (12cms x 7.5cms!) runs at constant speed/load to charge the battery, which makes it more efficient - taking the range to 400 miles. It lets them keep the battery small & light, but with useful 50 ev/400 mile hybrid mile range. It charges in 25 minutes - so you'd get useful charge while stopping for a comfort break on a longer trip. Smartest thing I've seen since the BMW i3 Rex. If Mazda put this powertrain in an MX5 they'd sell plenty.

Will

Yes brilliant common sense. I wonder how MMC avoid the EU fines on emmissions.

100% agree. I find his comment that EV's are only worth considering if you can charge it at home something I decided myself ages ago.




Sounds great. If they can build a crate engine setup where motor can fit where the gearbox, the battery and Rotary fit where the engine is and the Rotary be connected to the existing petrol tank then it could be used to swap out a MX5 engine and gearbox. Then could be used to convert older MX5's as well as Plus 4 Morgan's and even my Frontline based MGB to EV.

There are rumours of a possible new 3 wheeler EV from MMC & a new CX car of some kind.

Morgan got a 6 million pound grant five or six years ago I think they electfied a three wheeler and we saw an electric plus 8 on thrill on the hill. Vintage voltage in Newtown would have done the two for 150k ish.

There are now

Doh, sorry deep source I'm normally wrong though

Yep, what was also strange was the MMC cars were hardly ever seen in public or used for promotional stuff, (yes, I know the drivetrain partner went pop) but a bit of a waste of market & aspiring customer exposure

Absolutely. If you would be dependent on finding public chargers, then I can't see EVs being a good choice for the next few years. OTOH, charging them at home means they are an excellent solution for many/most people's needs




Certainly makes a lot more sense than having a hybrid drive as well as 2 power sources. The only thing that bothers me about hybrids is that you're lugging around a fair amount of complexity and weight for a use case that in reality not many people actually need.

The example here, if it really offers 50 miles electric range, would hardly ever need to fire up the rotary generator for most people. Is it really worth all the complexity to save looking for a charger on your annual holiday?

A huge proportions of homes own more than one car, and to me it makes perfect sense to have an EV for the bulk of local running around, and an ICE vehicle for longer trips.

But that's the great thing, there's a lot of choice around at the moment. We'll all be dead before there won't be any more ICE cars available, and if an EV doesn't suit our needs we don't have to buy one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2jvFT2a7os

Makes me happy...