While most automakers are feverishly working to bring more hybrid models to market, Mazda says it will be taking a different route to lower its overall emission. The Japanese automaker announced on Thursday it will be concentrating on its range of clean-diesels in the short-term.
By 2011 Mazda hopes to have a clean diesel to market that is not only as fuel efficient as a hybrid, but also less expensive. Mazda will continue to roll out clean diesels in the subsequent years, with the ultimate goal of reducing its global emission by 30 percent by the year 2015, according to CNN.
Mazda ’s first global clean diesel will likely be a 2.0L engine currently under development. Mazda says the oil burner is as fuel efficient as a 660cc gas engine and comparable to a modern mild hybrid.
However, diesels will only be part of the fuel economy solution for Mazda. The automaker will also focus on new automatic transmissions and further weight reductions. The average Mazda vehicle will shed 220 pounds by 2011, with another 10 percent – or more – set to come off after 2016.
Although Mazda will be focusing on diesels for the next seven years or so, it plans to introduce hybrid vehicles by 2016.
