Shoehorning a gas engine into an electric car that wasn't designed for it requires quite a bit of skill and a lot of money to develop, all in the hope that hybrids will outsell electric cars.

Horse Powertrain, which is jointly owned by Renault Group, Geely and petrochemical giant Aramco, has come up with an interesting solution. We've all heard of companies adapting EV powertrains to gas-powered vehicles, but Horse Powertrain's new hybrid concept is the polar opposite.

Officially unveiled at this year's Shanghai Auto Show, the integrated system consists of an internal combustion engine, an electric motor and a gearbox that replaces the front drive unit of an electric vehicle and can burn a variety of fuels, including gasoline, ethanol blends, pure methanol or modern synthetic fuels.

The idea is to keep costs as low as possible. According to Horse, electric and hybrid vehicles with this powertrain can be assembled on the same production line, reducing complexity. The unit bolts directly to the vehicle's subframe and is compatible with existing electrical architectures with minimal modifications. In addition to this, components such as fuel tanks and exhaust systems are still required.

The powertrain acts as a range extender for the vehicle's existing high-voltage battery, while the integrated gearbox works independently to power the front wheels or in tandem with the electric rear axle for all-wheel drive. The integrated power unit is located in a longitudinal mounting layout and is equipped with all the power electronics required for a hybrid system, including controllers, inverters, DC and DC converters, and on-board chargers. It is also equipped with a 800-volt charge booster for faster charging.

"Horse Powertrain is focused on solving the biggest challenges facing automotive OEMs," said Matias Giannini, CEO of the company. "For more than a decade, BEVs have seemed to be the only way to achieve net-zero emissions, and OEMs have plans to do so. However, there is now a shift to a technology-neutral world, with different markets and applications pursuing their own paths to sustainable mobility. ”

Horse Powertrain's complete hybrid powertrain is seamlessly integrated into the BEV platform. This compact, integrated powertrain concept enables OEMs to offer a diverse range of powertrains while minimizing disruption to production processes and resources. ”

Horse Powertrain's embedded hybrid system is expected to be installed on production vehicles starting in 2028.

Proofreading by Ren Ying