This little Horse Powertrain engine turns electric cars into hybrids

Horse Powertrain has announced a new "Future Hybrid Concept" powertrain designed to adapt electric vehicle platforms for hybrid systems. The public premiere of the new system will take place on 24 April at the Auto Shanghai 2025 exhibition.

Here's What We Know

Horse Powertrain's name is not much known yet, so let us remind you that the company's shareholders are automobile manufacturers Renault Group (45%) and Geely (45%), as well as oil refining company Aramco (10%). Given Aramco's participation in the project, the bet on retaining internal combustion engines looks logical. Horse is focusing on developing solutions to extend the life of internal combustion engines, offering manufacturers an alternative in the face of unstable demand for all-electric models.

The new "Future Hybrid Concept" powertrain combines an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a transmission. The main idea is to integrate this module into existing electric vehicle platforms with minimal modifications. This will allow automakers to quickly adapt their EV models to hybrid drivetrains without wasting resources and money on separate platforms or radically rebuilding production lines.

Horse says the system can replace the front electric motor on front-wheel-drive platforms. The unit attaches directly to the vehicle's subframe, with integration requiring minor changes to the body and chassis structure.

The power module is also designed to work with a variety of fuel types, from conventional petrol to E85 ethanol, M100 methanol and synthetic fuels. This makes the unit a universal solution for a global market where environmental and economic requirements vary significantly from country to country.

In this way, Horse offers automakers the option of a technology-neutral approach that allows them to react quickly to changing market realities and regulations without radically redesigning their production process.

Source: Horse Powertrain (pdf)