Mazda has been heavily invested in alternative fuels, especially in racing, and will continue to do so with its Mazda Spirit Racing MX-5 CNF concept that runs on a synthetic carbon-neutral fuel.

The MX-5 will be put to the sword from Round 4 onwards of the Eneos Super Taikyu Series 2023 at Autopolis.

Under the hood of the MX-5 will be the same naturally-aspirated SkyActiv-G 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine.

Additionally, all vehicles under the Mazda Spirit Racing banner are developed inhouse in the name of training “people and cars” through racing. Even the system for running the race was developed internally by the employees and service mechanics of Hiroshima Mazda.

The MX-5 will compete in the new ST-Q class of Super Taikyu, created specifically for vehicles power by alternative fuels. It isn’t the first Mazda in the class, as Mazda Spirit Racing already runs the Mazda3 Bio concept that runs on cooking oil. More accurately, it’s Euglena’s next-generation biodiesel fuel, Susteo Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO).

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Lining up alongside the Mazda3 and MX-5 are the likes of Toyota that’s racing a GR86 CNF concept that packs a smaller turbocharged 1.4-liter three-cylinder direct-injection engine as well as Subaru that’s running a BRZ with a 2.4-liter flat-four power plant.

Even Mazda UK has tuned its Heritage Fleet to run on sustainable fuel, which in November 2022, saw a MX-5 drive for 1,000 miles (1,610 km) around the UK.

Racing has long been a platform that’s welcomed the exploration of alternative fuel technologies. Dacia will take on the 2025 Dakar Rally using synthetic fuels and even Formula 1 will be switching over to it during the next major regulation change in 2026.

With some carmakers believing the future lies in offering consumers options and not completely switching over to EVs, synthetic fuel is receiving plenty of attention.

Porsche has begun developing e-fuel at its plant in Chile. Nonetheless, it’ll be years before the carmaker can produce even a fraction of the amount of fuel the world requires daily.

On the downside, the production of synthetic fuels requires plenty of energy in return. This is the reason behind Porsche setting up its plant in Chile at spot where the breeze blows 270 days a year to spin the wind turbines.

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