Horse Powertrain Developing Powertrain That Converts Electric Vehicles to Hybrids

Horse Powertrain—owned by Renault Group, Geely, and Aramco—is developing a system that would retrofit electric vehicles and allow them to run on gasoline and other fuels, according to Inside EVs.

The Future Hybrid Concept consists of a combustion engine, an electric motor, and a transmission that replaces the front drive unit of an EV. It’s compatible with not just gasoline, but ethanol flex fuels, pure methanol, and modern synthetic fuels as well.

Additionally, the powertrain can act as a range extender for high-voltage batteries. Its integrated transmission can operate independently, providing power to the front wheels, or work with the electrically-powered rear axle to achieve all-wheel drive.

Bolting directly to a vehicle’s subframe, the powertrain would require little modification to be retrofitted to a vehicle. The company’s goal with the system is to reduce costs by allowing both EVs and hybrids using this powertrain to be assembled on the same line.

The Future Hybrid Concept will be fitted to series production vehicles beginning in 2028, according to the company.

“Through our innovation, we can deliver a full hybrid powertrain system that seamlessly integrates onto a battery electric vehicle platform,” said Horse Powertrain CEO Matias Giannini. “This compact, integrated powertrain concept allows OEMs to offer powertrain diversity with minimal disruption to the production process and resource expenditure.”