Jan. 20--TOKYO - Mazda Motor Corp. plans to release vehicles
equipped with a hydrogen-powered rotary engine in about three years,President
Hisakazu Imaki said Tuesday.
Imaki also said the Japanese carmaker is considering resuming its auto
racing business in a bid to raise its brand name recognition and bolster
technological development.
"Hydrogen and rotary engines go together pretty well from the viewpoint
of safety," Imaki said.
He said the company will decide by the end of this year which car models
will be equipped with the new engine. Among the candidate models are the
RX-8 sports car and minivans, he added.
In the auto industry, more companies are trying to use hydrogen as an
element in vehicle fuel because it emits less carbon dioxide.
At the Tokyo Motor Show last October, Mazda displayed a prototype car
based on the RX-8 sports car featuring the hydrogen-powered rotary engine.
