Horse Powertrain has launched an upgraded version of its HORSE V20 gasoline engine, offering the 2.0-litre four-cylinder unit in both 400-volt plug-in hybrid and 48-volt mild hybrid configurations as the company expands its electrified powertrain lineup.
Production of the new engine began this spring at the Aurobay Technologies manufacturing facility in Skövde, Sweden, with exports planned for customers in Europe, the United States and Asia.
Horse Powertrain said the plug-in hybrid version reduces fuel consumption by 7% compared with the previous-generation engine. Both variants have also been certified to comply with tightening emissions regulations scheduled to take effect in 2026 and 2027 across Europe, the United States and China.
The company said the upgraded V20 engine is built on a single architecture shared between the plug-in hybrid and mild hybrid versions, allowing automakers to use the same core engine platform across different electrification levels.
Ingo Scholten, managing director of Aurobay Technologies Sweden and deputy chief technology officer of Horse Powertrain, said developing a unified platform across multiple regulatory markets presented engineering and manufacturing challenges.
“Designing one engine to meet three different regulatory regimes is harder than designing three separate engines,” Scholten said.
“As the regulatory map is fragmenting, one engine that meets all three sets of rules delivers greater value to our customers, ensuring we can offer greater economies of scale,” he added.
“Pulling that off requires serious engineering. Further, the Skövde team also successfully changed production lines while keeping current production running.”
Horse Powertrain said the plug-in hybrid version includes several hardware revisions compared with the previous model, including a modified crankshaft-mounted starter-generator, a repositioned high-mounted mechanical water pump and a redesigned cooling system.
The updated V20 also introduces a new multi-injection fuel system, revised engine management software and a redesigned air induction system.
At the Skövde facility, the company retained the previous-generation assembly line while adding a new straight-line final assembly system intended to improve production flow and maintain uninterrupted output during the transition.
Horse Powertrain said production volumes for the V20 are expected to increase through 2026 and 2027 in response to customer demand.
The V20 programme forms part of the broader expansion strategy of Horse Powertrain, the Renault-Geely joint venture established in 2024. The company operates 18 manufacturing plants and five research and development centres globally.
Horse Powertrain said its customer base includes Renault Group, Geely Auto, Volvo Cars, Proton, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors.
The company also recently introduced its X-Range C15 Direct Drive hybrid system at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, aimed at converting battery-electric vehicle platforms into hybrid or range-extended applications.
