The fully stock Mazda MX-5 recently demonstrated the potential of sustainable fuels by completing a 1,000-mile journey around Great Britain and running four separate racetracks. Powered by SUSTAIN 100 Percent, a “fossil-free” fuel produced by Coryton from agricultural by-products, the tour toured England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, around circuits in Anglesey, Oulton Park, Knockhill and Kirkistown.
Mazda monitors the car during the trip and every track session. It was determined that there was no noticeable difference in performance when running the car at 100 Percent SUSTAIN versus standard gasoline. Except for lap times, the MX-5 averaged nearly 38 US mpg over the course.
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“We are delighted to have teamed up with Mazda UK on this project, which combines a great car with clean fuels to deliver more than just lap times,” said David Richardson, director at Coryton. everyday road car with an internal combustion engine. Products and technologies are ready to go – the industry just needs support to help improve operations.”
Commenting on the event, Mazda Motors UK Managing Director Jeremy Thomson said: “This is a brilliant demonstration of how sustainable fuels can play a role in reducing automotive CO2 emissions if they are widely available.”
Sustainable fuels are part of Mazda’s Multi-Solution approach to current and future products. While electric vehicles are being heralded as the future, Mazda knows that internal combustion engines will still be used for decades to come. The company plans to build hybrid electric vehicles through the 2030s and expects demand for sustainable fuel to increase. Hence investing in technology to support that demand while balancing the need for sustainability and climate neutrality.
Adoption of sustainable fuels depends not only on demand from road vehicles but also motor sports. To achieve this adoption, Mazda is also working with Motorsport UK and other organizations to promote sustainable fuels at all levels of racing.
