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EV sales have been on the rise in countries like China and the United States, but on the other hand, some carmakers who had set their sights on going all electric have backtracked on the decision. At the same time, there has been huge money invested in EV technology, and putting an internal combustion engine into an EV not designed for it would be easier said than done.

Now Horse Powertrain, a company owned jointly by Renault Group, Geely and petrochemical giant Aramco, has come up with an interesting concept. While we all heard about EV powertrains being fitted into ICE cars, Horse wants to do the exact opposite.

They have come up with an all-in-one system that comprises a combustion engine, an electric motor and a transmission. It is designed to replace the front-mounted drive unit of an EV and burn all kinds of fuels including petrol, ethanol flex fuels, pure methanol or modern synthetic fuels.



Using this tech, Horse wants to reduce costs as much as possible. Horse says that an EV and a hybrid that uses this powertrain could be assembled on the same line, which reduces complexity significantly and costs as well. The unit bolts directly to the vehicle’s subframe and minimal modifications are required to make it work with the existing electrical architecture. Additionally, one would need a fuel tank and an exhaust, but the foundation is in place.

The powertrain can function as a range extender for the high-voltage battery that’s already in the car, while the integrated transmission can work on its own, providing power to the front wheels, or together with the electrically-powered rear axle for all-wheel drive. The power is installed in an East-West layout and comes with all the required electronics needed for a hybrid powertrain. These include a controller, inverter, DC to DC converter and on-board charger. There’s also an 800-volt charging booster.

While cars like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Porsche Taycan facelift can be fitted with this unit, that scenario is less likely to happen. However, smaller carmakers could use this system to convert their EVs into hybrids.

“Horse Powertrain is focused on solving the biggest problems facing automotive OEMs,” said Matias Giannini, the company’s CEO. “For over a decade, it looked like battery electric vehicles were the only path to net zero, and OEMs planned accordingly. However, we’re now shifting towards a technology-neutral world, with different markets and applications each pursuing their sustainable mobility journey.”

“Our Future Hybrid Concept helps OEMs solve this problem,” Giannini added. “Through our innovation, we can deliver a full hybrid powertrain system that seamlessly integrates onto a battery electric vehicle platform. This compact, integrated powertrain concept allows OEMs to offer powertrain diversity with minimal disruption to the production process and resource expenditure.”

Horse Powertrain’s new system will be officially revealed at the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show and is expected to be fitted to regular production vehicles from 2028.

Source: Inside EVs

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