Hybrid vehicles are predicted to carve out 2.5% – 2.8% market share of new vehicles sold in 2008. The 2008 Toyota Prius hybrid again leads the pack accounting for 50% of all hybrids sold.  This over-achieving fuel efficient gas/electric hybrid recovers energy from the braking system when the brakes are applied and uses that energy to charge a battery.

Many other car manufacturers, including Honda, Ford and Chevy, marketed fuel efficient hybrids in 2008 with limited success.  But their efforts continue as the industry goes green.  Toyota has three of the top five best selling hybrid cars (see below).

Best Selling 2008 Hybrid Cars:

1. Toyota Prius

2. Toyota Camry

3. Honda Civic

4. Toyota Hylander

5. Ford Escape



Currently Toyota uses Nickel-Metal Hydride batteries in the Prius and other 2008 Hybrids.  The engine is called “Hybrid Synergy Drive (HSD)”, a refinement of the original Toyota Hybrid System (THS) used in the 1997-2003 Toyota Prius.  The name was changed to accommodate usage outside the Toyota brand.  Toyota describes HSD-equipped vehicles as having E-CVT (Electronically-controlled Continuously Variable Transmission).

Toyota is expected to continue leading other manufacturers in fuel efficient automobiles over the next few years.  Toyota will be introducing lighter materials (carbon fibre and aluminum) and plug-in Lithium-Ion batteries with a goal of achieving 90 mpg.

Honda employs a parallel drivetrain with an electric motor mounted between the engine and transmission.  Honda calls it’s technology “Integrated Motor Assist (IMA)”.  IMA wasfirst introduced on the Insight in 1999.   It uses an electric motor mounted between the engine and transmission.  The implementation employs a parallel drivetrain..

A spokesman for GM recently predicted that 4 out of 5 cars sold in the year 2020 will be fuel efficient hybrids as a result of increasingly tougher emissions standards.  More information on 2008 hybrids.



By: Steve Auger

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Mazda Motor Corporation has a history of developing powerful engines like for instance, the Wankel Rotary engine. Mazda is the only automaker that was able to surmount all the difficult technical challenges that came with the RE technology and even went further by mass producing the rotary engine. Then finally in 1991, the Mazda 787B made history with the rotary engine when it became the only Japanese car ever to claim victory at the Le Mans 24 Hour endurance race.

And for this year, the Hiroshima-based automaker will once again make another history with its newly developed naturally aspirated MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine, which will power the all-new Demio also known as Mazda2 in overseas markets. The new Demio is scheduled to go on sale this coming July in Japan.

The new naturally aspirated MZR 1.3 L Miller-cycle engine will be made to function in combination with Mazda’s first continuously variable transmission (CVT). The engine will then assist the new Demio to achieve a 10 to 15 fuel economy of 23.0km/L, a significant improvement of approximately 20 percent over the 19.2 km/L rating of the current model.

The new naturally aspirated MZR 1.3 L Miller-cycle engine is part of the current MZR 1.3L DOHC aluminum engine. It employs a delayed closing of the intake valves in order to reduce pumping losses and improve thermal efficiency through a higher expansion ratio. The Intake valve timing is also optimized in the process by the Sequential Valve Timing System to improve fuel efficiency over the current MZR 1.3 L engine especially when cruising and accelerating. In connection with the CVT that transfers torque at low speeds without power loss and eliminates gear-shift shock, the result is a setup that achieves excellent fuel efficiency as well as smooth and exhilarating ride.

In addition to the new, highly efficient powertrain, the all-new Demio has been made approximately 100kg lighter than its predecessor. This remarkable reduction in weight was achieved through “weight reduction techniques, which have resulted in agile handling and significant improvement in fuel economy.

The Demio model equipped with the naturally aspirated MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine combined with the CVT transmission will achieve a fuel economy that is rated as 20 percent better than the level specified by Japan’s 2010 fuel economy standards. Exhaust emissions will also be reduced by up to 75 percent lower than the 2005 standards which is in accordance to Japan’s Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (SU-LEV) standard and qualifies the Demio for Green Tax exemptions.

Mazda through its sustainable Zoom-Zoom plan that was announced last March 2007, it has express its desire to pursue the harmony between driving pleasure and environmental and safety features. The maker of the Mazda hoods has also stress that it is working on for an advanced Zoom-Zoom world. And of course as an automaker it will continue to create captivating design that would provide customers with continuous driving pleasure as well as to further develop and improved safety and environmental technologies.

About Mazda Motor Corporation

It was in the year 1929 when Mazda Motor Corporation has started manufacturing tools and later on branched out into production of trucks for commercial use. The first passenger car models that Mazda produced were launched in the early 1960s. It was also in this same year that Mazda started developing the rotary engines.

Mazda is headquartered in Hiroshima in western Japan. At present Mazda ranks as one of Japan’s leading automakers and exports cars to the United States and Europe for over 30 years. It’s overseas sales account for more than half of its total turnover.

Mazda has two main production sites in Japan and 19 overseas facilities. The overseas sites include joint ventures based in United States, and in Thailand. Ford Motor Corporation owns one-third controlling interest in Mazda.



By: Kraig Johanssen

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Mazda is in another breakthrough as it produces its new naturally-aspirated MZR 1.3L miller-cycle engine which will power the all-new Mazda Demio. The company built this in order to achieve a fuel economy of 23.0 km/L and qualify for Japan’s Green Tax exemptions.

When the all-new Demio goes on sale in Japan in July 2007, the new engine will be unleashed by the Hiroshima, Japan Mazda Motor Corporation. In order to attain a 10-15 mode fuel economy of 23.0 km/L, the engine will support the all-new Demio matched with Mazda’s first continuously variable transmission (CVT). The 10-15 mode fuel economy of 23.0 km/L is an improvement of an estimated 20 percent over the 19.2 km/L rating of the current model.

For those not well informed, the all-new Demio is known as the all-new Mazda2 in other markets.

The naturally-aspirated MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine utilizes a delayed closing of the intake valves. This is done so that the pumping losses will be minimized and the thermal efficiency will be further improved through a higher expansion ratio. The engine is newly developed from the current MZR 1.3L DOHC aluminum engine.

The Sequential Valve Timing System optimizes the intake valve timing. In effect, this provides refined fuel efficiency more than the current MZR 1.3L engine when cruising and accelerating. The CVT is a device that transfers torque at low speeds without loosing power and eliminating the gear-shift shock. In connection with this device, the setup achieves the best fuel efficiency. And those are not all! Smooth and exhilarating ride are also achieved.

Aside from the new highly efficient power train, the all-new Mazda Demio has been built almost 100 kg lighter than its predecessor through techniques in weight reduction. As results, nimble handling and significantly improved fuel economy are achieved.

This Mazda car comes with the naturally aspirated MZR 1.3L Miller-cycle engine matched with the CVT transmission that reaches a fuel economy that is rated at 20 percent or better than the level specified in the 2010 fuel economy standards of Japan. Aside from this, exhaust emissions are also at least 75 percent lower than 2005 standards. This adapts to Japan’s Super Ultra-Low Emissions Vehicle (SU-LEV) standard. Consequently, this also qualifies the Demio for Green Tax exemptions, which is one of the goals of the company in building such engine.

Announced in March 2007, Mazda’s Sustainable Zoom-Zoom plan stated its intention to continue the harmony that is experienced between driving pleasures and environmental and safety features as well as its pursuit for an advanced Zoom-Zoom world. The plan includes the constant desire to achieve the following: to create captivating design; to provide Mazda customers with continual driving fun; and to develop enhanced safety and environmental features.

Mazda has built a trick: a new 1.3L Miller-cycle power plant that is naturally-aspirated. The company developed this in order to qualify its new Mazda2/Demio for Japan’s Green Tax exemptions. In a Miller-cycle engine, supercharge is normally required. This makes Mazda’s new technology attract curiosity. And then, it willed be coupled with first CVT from Mazda. The new Demio is expected to return 54 mpg because of the help of a 222 lb. loss.

Mazda is consistent in saying that its all-new Miller engine is very efficient. However, the company is not able to mention the amount of power it yields. Nonetheless, such engine releases power in order to increase fuel efficiency. After all, that is what the superchargers are conventionally for.

From these facts, it can be deduced further that Mazda continues its identity as an automaker with a partiallity for alternative forms of internal combustion.

About Mazda Motor Corporation

A Japanese automotive manufacturer that is based in Hiroshima, Japan, Mazda Motor Corporation is the maker of such quality and top of the line engines and other at par auto parts such as Mazda fuel tank.

The company is expected to produce 1.25 million vehicles annually as of 2006. Among Japan, Europe, North America, and Latin America, its sales will be evenly divided.

Mazda’s 33.4% of controlling interest is controlled by the Ford Motor Company.



By: Kraig Johanssen

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