Horse Powertrain Unveils a Tiny Range Extender and a Self-Contained Hybrid System

• The C15 range extender is a 1.5L engine that is barely bigger than a carry-on bag.

• The Future Hybrid System also uses a 1.5L engine paired with one or two electric motors and can replace an EV’s front drive unit.

• Both powertrains are meant to be a plug-and-play solution for automakers to make their EVs into hybrids, PHEVs, or range-extended EVs.

Horse Powertrain, a joint venture between Renault and Geely, has unveiled an EV range extender and a new hybrid system ahead of the Munich Mobility Show this week.

Characterized by their very small external dimensions, these two powertrains are meant to provide automakers with a plug-and-play solution to add a range extender to their EVs, or to make them into hybrid or plug-in hybrid models without having to rework the platform they are based on.

For example, the C15 range extender is a 1.5L four-cylinder engine that measures 500 mm by 550 mm by 275 mm (19,7 in by 21,7 in by 10,8 in), making it barely bigger than a typical airline carry-on bag.

This small size, along with the ability to install the engine vertically or laid down on its side, should make it possible for automakers to add this range extender to their EVs by taking up a bit of trunk or frunk space, without having to re-engineer much of the platform.

Despite these small dimensions, the C15 package also includes a generator, an inverter, and a cooling package. This leaves only the fuel tank to be located elsewhere in the vehicle.

A naturally-aspirated version will generate 70 kW (94 hp) and a turbocharged variant, intended for larger vehicles, will make 120 kW (161 hp). While this output sounds diminutive, it is worth remembering that a range extender never directly powers the wheels.

Horse Powertrain says this engine is supposed to maintain the battery’s charge level while the EV’s existing electric motors power it down the road.

The C15 engine will comply with Euro 7 emissions regulations in Europe, as well as similar requirements in China and the United States, which would allow it to be used globally. The company also claims that the range extender will be able to run on gasoline, ethanol, and methanol flex fuels, along with synthetic fuels, which could minimize its environmental impact.

For automakers who would prefer to turn their electric vehicles into hybrids or plug-in hybrids, Horse Powertrain has another solution.

Indeed, the Future Hybrid System is a self-contained hybrid powertrain that can take the place of an EV’s front drive unit.

Also built around a 1.5L four-cylinder engine, this system adds one or two electric motors, a transmission, and all of the required electronics.

The single motor version measures only 640 mm (25,2 inches) wide by placing the motor between the engine and the transmission.

The dual motor system, called “Performance”, measures 740 mm (29,1 inches) wide due to its configuration, which places one motor at the engine’s output shaft and the other at the transmission’s output shaft.

Horse Powertrain says this second version is capable of powering a vehicle on its own, which could provide automakers with an affordable and efficient hybrid front-wheel drive vehicle.

When paired with an existing motor on the rear axle, the Future Hybrid System can also easily transform a rear-wheel drive EV into an all-wheel drive hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicle.

The Future Hybrid System is expected to launch in 2027.

Since Horse Powertrain will develop upcoming drivelines for both Geely and Renault, there is a possibility that we could see these powertrains in Nissan and Volvo vehicles in North America, although nothing has been confirmed for now.