Mazda onboard CO2 capture system demonstration stores 804 grams during 24-hour race using zeolite and exhaust heat

Mazda has demonstrated a complete onboard CO2 capture system during a 24-hour endurance race in Japan's Super Taikyu Series. The system, called Mazda Mobile Carbon Capture, uses zeolite as an adsorbent and captures CO2 from the exhaust. The captured CO2 is then released from the zeolite using exhaust heat, compressed by an electric compressor, and stored in a tank. During the June 2026 test, the system captured 804 grams of CO2, roughly 9.6 times more than an earlier test in November 2025. The demonstration vehicle ran on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), a carbon-neutral fuel already in commercial use in Europe. Mazda says the combined effect of HVO and the capture system temporarily exceeded the target recovery level for typical production vehicles, indicating potential for carbon-negative operation. The company aims to achieve short-term carbon negativity in its racing car by November 2026. Mazda is targeting commercialization of the system by 2035, with the goal that driving could reduce CO2 rather than add it. The technology is still in early development and faces questions about scalability, energy use for compression, and cost. The 804 grams captured over 24 hours is small compared to total vehicle emissions, but the proof of concept for an integrated adsorption, desorption, and storage system is a notable step. Mazda is collaborating with partners to refine the equipment and bring it toward practical application.