Mazda has announced plans to unveil a new CNG (compressed natural gas) version of the Mazda3 at the Tokyo Motor Show next month.
The Mazda3 SKYACTIV-CNG concept, as it will be known, features a dual fuel system which allows the car to run on both standard petrol and compressed natural gas.
Normally, to convert a petrol engine to run on CNG, major engine modifications are needed because CNG engines burn fuel at a much higher pressure than petrol engines. However, Mazda claims that because the SKYACTIV engine in the 3 already achieves a very high compression ratio, it can be made to run on CNG with only minor modifications.
Mazda claims that the use of a CNG engine could reduce fuel consumption by around 20 per cent compared to an identically-sized petrol engine.
Although there's no word yet on whether the CNG concept will make it into production, Mazda claims that the car offers a "hint at the direction of future models."
The Tokyo Motor Show begins on 23 November.
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