Mazda Reveals A Stunning Rotary-Powered Concept – And A Futuristic Mazda2 That Talks

At the 2025 Japan Mobility Show, Mazda has presented two very different but equally interesting concepts that will (hopefully) inform future models. Not only are we intrigued by their design, but also the ways in which they aim to make driving cleaner and more advanced. Before we get to the concepts themselves, let’s talk about how Mazda aims to make combustion driving cleaner. The automaker says that it has developed carbon-neutral fuel derived from microalgae, which absorb CO2 as they grow. These microalgae store oils in their cells that are refined into carbon-neutral fuel, and Mazda claims that it has produced over a liter (0.26 gallons) of fuel from a 2,906-gallon culture tank in roughly two weeks. What’s more, when the fuel is extracted, the remaining nutrient-rich microalgae can be upcycled into food products or organic fertilizers. But that’s not the only way Mazda believes it can make combustion cleaner, and that brings us to the first futuristic car.

Mazda Vision X-Coupe: Clean Design, Clean Rotary Driving

The first concept is the stunning Vision X-Coupe, which has a somewhat familiar Mazda face (besides the vertical lighting elements below the headlights) and coupe-like proportions, though it’s actually a sedan with four doors boasting frameless windows. At the rear, a Kamm-tail-like design marks the end of a sloping roofline with an unusual U-shaped rear windshield. A subtle diffuser with a third brake light also appears, while the profile has a sleek fender accent that leads into the front doors. Although the C-shaped taillights, the intricate wheels, and the rearview cameras may not be production-ready, the overall design looks like it could inform the next Mazda 6, and we hope it does, but realistically, Mazda says this car is meant for 2035.

The concept is powered by a two-rotor rotary turbo engine with an electric motor and battery, which produces 503 hp and offers a driving range of just under 100 miles in EV mode and up to 497 miles with the engine assisting. Not only can the Vision X-Coupe run on the abovementioned carbon-neutral fuel, but it also features a new “Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture” system that is claimed to pull CO2 directly from the exhaust, which can then be recycled. The idea is that the more the car is driven, the cleaner it effectively becomes. Not much detail on this system has been provided, but the automaker says it will showcase the tech on the Mazda 55 by entering it in a super endurance race next month.

Mazda Vision X-Compact: A New Mazda2 That Talks To You

The second concept is called the Vision X-Compact and adopts some of the design cues of the X-Coupe in its C-shaped taillights, prominent diffuser, cameras as wing mirrors, fancy wheels, and vertical accent LEDs on the front end. That being said, the roofline (particularly from the rear three-quarter angle) reminds us of the Fiat 500, albeit bigger. Again, Mazda has not drawn any parallels with any past or present production car, but it looks a lot like an electric Mazda2 might. The design isn’t its trump card, however – what happens inside the car is. Mazda imagines an empathetic artificial intelligence “deepening the bond between people and cars,” saying that solo drives are often boring and lonely, and suggesting that the AI would suggest alternative routes to places of interest you might have previously mentioned: “Picture this: you are behind the wheel, but you are not alone. There is a warm presence, not intrusive, just aware. It might say, ‘Hey, remember that cafe you mentioned last week? There is a fun back road that will get us there. Way more interesting than this highway.'”

Mazda also sees the AI giving the driver encouragement, with comments like, “Ooh, nice merge!” or gentle warnings like, “Blind spot, left side.” The automaker also envisions the system reading your mood to queue up the ideal playlist, or staying silent when it detects that you need some alone time. “It learns. It anticipates. It understands you.” It all sounds a little Orwellian, but Mazda claims this is not science fiction. “In the future, a Mazda vehicle will be a companion that makes every journey richer. Like spending time with a friend, it will invite dimension, variety, satisfaction, and a feeling of being understood.” Creepy or clever? Possibly both.

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