Horse Powertrain, the joint venture between Renault and Geely, introduced its ‘Future Hybrid Concept’ at Auto Shanghai, showcasing a compact powertrain designed to hybridize battery-electric vehicle (BEV) platforms with minimal structural changes. The new system is aimed at offering manufacturers greater flexibility as strategies around electric mobility evolve.
The ‘Future Hybrid Concept’ integrates a combustion engine, electric motor, gearbox, and drive control unit into a single compact module. According to Horse Powertrain, the design allows for the unit to directly replace the existing electric motor within a BEV platform, easing the transition for manufacturers considering hybrid options. Although specific performance data has not been disclosed, visuals released by the company suggest the use of an inline four-cylinder engine.
The concept is intended as a range extender rather than a foundation for a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid system. Horse Powertrain noted that the unit would enable pure electric driving as well as parallel hybrid operation, but not standalone combustion engine mode. “Our Future Hybrid Concept helps OEMs solve this problem. Through our innovation, we can deliver a full hybrid powertrain system that seamlessly integrates onto a Battery Electric Vehicle platform,” said Matias Gianni, CEO of Horse Powertrain.
Series production of the compact hybrid system is expected to begin in 2028. The combustion engine has been developed to run not only on conventional petrol but also on alternative fuels such as ethanol, methanol, and synthetic fuels, aligning with efforts to reduce emissions while maintaining extended driving ranges.