It was rumored for a while, but now Mazda has made it official – the rotary engine is coming back. While we wish the announcement came with news about a new sports car, it’s quite the opposite, since the rotary engine will be used as a range extender for Mazda’s future electric car.

In 2020 Mazda will release its new electric car, which will be offered in two versions. One version will be powered by a fully electric powertrain, while the second version will use a small rotary as a range extender for the EV. The rotary engine will extend the driving range of Mazda’s new electric car for those buyers that need a longer driving range than the fully electric version.

Mazda also says that the new rotary engine will be able to burn liquefied petroleum gas and it can also be used as a source of electricity in emergencies.

Source: Mazda