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Mazda PHEV

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Check it. . .

Autocar - Mazda plans Volt rival

Mazda Building a Volt of Its Own | Autopia from Wired.com

"Mazda Said to Be Developing Hybrid System Very Similar to the Chevy Volt's" Green Car Advisor

What this means. . . .

Mazda's rotary engine has potential advantages in this application. It has the potential to be smaller and lighter than the Volt's 4-cylinder engine, which means the Mazda could carry more batteries, or it could simply be a lighter weight vehicle and gain efficiency on that front.

Mazda have a great reputation for producing reliable cars, and also for producing cars with sporty performance and well-tuned suspension. They can make something exciting when they set their minds to it, not just a people-mover.

The link between Mazda and Ford, however, is something that could cut either way. If Mazda build something like this, they would (I'm sure) want to share the platform, or at least the power train, with Ford in order to get volumes up and per-unit costs down. Thus far Ford have shown little enthusiasm for electric power. Ford management fully expects the Chevy Volt to be a disaster for GM. (As most big car makers do, but some are starting to hedge their bets.)

I'd say any Mazda PHEV is a just-in-case project. Just in case the price of gasoline spikes again, or the Chevy Volt becomes the next fad and sends the public stampeding to GM dealerships (hard as that may be to imagine), Mazda and Ford will be able to throw together some kind of an answer.