Horse Powertrain has announced its first fully integrated hybrid drive unit, the HR18 HEV, marking the company’s transition into a complete powertrain partner for automotive manufacturers. The system combines a new 1.8-liter engine, transmission, battery, and electric motor into a single unit designed and developed by Horse Technologies’ research and development teams.
The hybrid powertrain centers around Horse Technologies’ new HR18 engine, a 1.8-liter four-cylinder gasoline direct injection unit that weighs 100 kilograms and produces up to 80kW of power and 172Nm of torque. The Atkinson-cycle engine was specifically designed for hybrid applications and complies with Euro 6E-BIS and Euro 7 emissions standards while supporting flex fuel blends up to 10% ethanol content.
Production of the HR18 engine has begun at Horse Technologies facilities in Valladolid, Spain, and Bursa, Turkey, with development work conducted at the company’s Bucharest research center in Romania. The complete powertrain unit will be manufactured at the Bursa and Valladolid plants.
The integrated system incorporates a BTA Gen2 lithium-ion battery developed at the Valladolid research facility. The 36-kilogram battery stores up to 1.4kWh of energy and operates within a voltage range of 150-279V, featuring 34 cells arranged in two modules with integrated cooling. The compact battery measures 707x422x190mm and can discharge at peak rates of 11.6Ah.
Additional components include the clutchless DB45S transmission manufactured in Seville, Spain, capable of handling maximum torque of 436Nm, and the 5DH electric motor produced in Aveiro, Portugal, which delivers peak power output of 50kW and peak torque of 212Nm.
“The HR18 HEV is designed directly to address challenges facing OEMs in today’s market,” said Matias Giannini, Chief Executive Officer of Horse Powertrain. “HEVs are becoming the most in-demand powertrain category in many markets, requiring many brands and OEMs to make significant investments in bolstering their HEV offering – all while they face unprecedented commercial pressures. By solving the major challenges involved in producing and integrating such a high-performance system, we’re freeing up our OEM partners to focus on their priority innovations and areas of differentiation.”
The company positions the HR18 HEV as a scalable solution for original equipment manufacturers seeking to expand their hybrid vehicle offerings while addressing decarbonization requirements in the automotive sector.
