Mazda Motor Corporation has conducted a demonstration test of its onboard CO2 (carbon dioxide) capture system during Round 3 of the Super Taikyu Series 2026.

During the test, Mazda demonstrated CO2 capture and storage during driving – an element newly introduced in this round – representing a further step towards the system’s practical application and supporting its potential to contribute to reducing net CO2 emissions.

Under the theme ‘The Joy of Driving Fuels a Sustainable Tomorrow’, Mazda unveiled ‘Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture’ at last year’s Japan Mobility Show 2025, with the aim of supporting efforts to reduce net CO2 emissions by 2035.

In this demonstration test, a CO2 desorption function was added to the absorption unit, along with a CO2 storage tank in the Mazda Spirit Racing 3 Future Concept race car. The car is powered by Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) - a fuel that is already widely in use in Europe.

Zeolite with a porous structure was used as the adsorbent. Zeolite readily releases CO2 when heated, enabling the captured CO2 to be desorbed using the exhaust heat generated during driving. The desorbed CO2 is then compressed by an electric compressor and stored in a tank. Mazda has, for the first time, successfully demonstrated the integrated process as a complete system. Over the course of the 24-hour race, a total of 804 grams of CO2 was captured, representing a significant advancement – approximately 9.6 times the previous result of 84 grams.