马自达在提升引擎燃烧效率方面迈出了一大步，它将为旗下引擎提供均质冲量压缩点火（homogenous charge compression ignition，HCCI)技术，采用该项技术的引擎将在未来几周后发布。该项技术的应用意味着汽油引擎可以像柴油引擎一样运行，将混合后的空气和燃油注入气缸直至燃烧。马自达Skyactiv II引擎在低转速下仍采用火花塞点火，但在高转速下则采用均质冲量压缩点火。马自达高管表示，Skyactiv II引擎的燃油效率比目前的汽油引擎提高30%。如果真是这样，新一代马自达3的综合油耗约为42英里/加仑（百公里油耗约合5.6升），而目前的综合油耗为32英里/加仑（百公里油耗约合7.35升）。Skyactiv II引擎将首先搭载于明年上市的马自达3上，未来将扩展至马自达家族其他车型。马自达将在今年10月开幕的东京车展发布新款概念车。如果获得成功，马自达将成为首个为量产车搭载采用均质冲量压缩点火技术引擎的车厂。马自达未来还将为下一代转子引擎提供该项技术。

Next-Gen Mazda3 With Sparkless Ignition Tech Coming To Frankfurt

Further details are leaking out about Mazda’s major leap in combustion engine efficiency. The Japanese automaker will reportedly debut a powerplant with homogenous charge compression ignition (HCCI) in the upcoming weeks, according to Motoring.

HCCI means that a gasoline-powered engine would operate in similar fashion to a diesel mill by compressing the mixture of air and fuel in the cylinder until it combusts. According to Motoring, the Mazda engine, which falls under the company's Skyactiv II banner, would still use spark plugs for ignition at low revs, but the powerplant would switch to HCCI at higher rpms.

Mazda execs claim the Skyactiv II engine could be 30 percent more efficient than current gasoline-fueled powerplants. If this is the case, then combined fuel economy for a new Mazda3 could climb to around 42 miles per gallon versus a best of 32 mpg combined currently.

The Skyactiv II engine will arrive first in the next-gen Mazda3 in 2018 (images above are design sketches from before the current Mazda3's debut), but it will proliferate throughout the company's range. According to Motoring, the company will preview the new vehicle with a concept at the Tokyo Motor Show in October.

If it's successful, Mazda would be the first automaker to introduce HCCI on a gasoline-fueled production model. According to Motoring, the efficiency gains from HCCI would eventually go into the next-gen rotary engine for a Mazda sports coupe.