You may have thought that the rotary engine had been consigned to the history books, but the innovation which was championed by Mazda is to make a return in the MX-30 plug-in hybrid. 

The MX-30 e-Skyactiv R-EV is a small crossover will have a petrol rotary engine to supplement the electrical power giving it an all electric 85 km range, which Mazda says will mean most drivers can use electric mode for their daily needs. The plug-in hybrid version of the car will sit alongside a fully electric version in the Mazda range. 

Mazda had previously retired the rotary engine some eleven years ago when the RX-8 sports model was phased out. The Japanese company has returned to a new version of rotary technology because it is both compact and lightweight.