Mazda Motor Corporation Joined The Super Taikyu Race To Step Up Its Effort To Realise Carbon Neutrality

Mazda Motor Corporation participated in the Super Taikyu Race in Okayama held at the Okayama International Circuit last month.

Participation is part of its effort to realise carbon neutrality. Mazda used a racecar with a conventional diesel engine (Skyactiv-D 1.5) that runs purely on bio-based fuel made from used cooking oil and microalgae fats.

In addition, Mazda will invest in plug-in hybrid models while promoting initiatives in renewable fuels such as next-generation biodiesel fuels.

Biodiesel fuels is expected to play a prominent role as an excellent liquid fuel source in promoting carbon neutrality with the next-generation biodiesel fuels made from sustainable raw materials such as microalgae fats and used cooking oil that can be used as alternatives to diesel fuel in existing vehicles and equipment without any modification.

As a member of the Hiroshima "Your Green Fuel" Project, Mazda has commenced using biodiesel fuel in company cars with diesel engines after being confirmed by the project in August 2020 that the performance of this biodiesel fuel is on a par with petroleum-based diesel fuel. 

For the record, the Hiroshima "Your Green Fuel" Project, a demonstration project in Hiroshima for popularising and spreading the use of next-generation biofuels jointly run by the Hiroshima Council aiming to establish a model for revitalising regional areas by retaining the entire value chain of carbon-neutral fuels from the manufacture and supply of raw materials through to fuel use within the Hiroshima area.

The Mazda vehicle that will compete in the Super Taikyu Race this time is installed with the Skyactiv-D 1.5 engine capable of demonstrating peak performance even running on next-generation biodiesel fuel without any engine modifications. 

In a demonstration test of a next-generation biodiesel fuel derived entirely from biomaterials, the racecar "Mazda Spirit Racing Bio concept Demio" will participate in the ST-Q class running on a biofuel called "Susteo" supplied by Euglena and with the cooperation of the NOPRO3 racing team.

The plan is to receive fuel from Euglena for the next season. The Super Taikyu Races have been held since 1991 as endurance races for mass-produced cars, and the ST-Q class is a class open to cars developed by manufacturers and approved by the Super Taikyu Organizing Committee. In addition to Mazda, Toyota Motor Corporation is also participating with a hydrogen-powered car.

Under its corporate vision, Mazda aims to be a brand that continues to share a special bond with customers by providing cars that enrich their lives with the sheer pleasure of driving while at the same time continuing to pursue the challenge to attain carbon neutrality in 2050.