ICE BREAKER!

Mazda's Skyactiv-X beats the big guys to market with a promising new production engine that marries Otto and Diesel attributes.

One of the most significant developments in internal combustion engine (ICE) technology for decades, Mazda's innovative Skyactiv-X Spark Controlled Compression Ignition (SpCCI) combustion system is slated for production in 2018. It has the potential to extend the practical life of gasoline engines, which are increasingly under threat from both global emissions legislation and the accelerating development of electric vehicles (EVs).

According to Kiyoshi Fujiwara, a company director and Senior Managing Executive Officer, SpCCI will form the foundation of Mazda's gasoline-engine strategy until mid-century. Fujiwara told Automotive Engineering that SpCCI is designed to embrace larger-displacement power units that eventually will run on micro-algae biofuels to deliver “zero tailpipe emissions” (see sidebar).