The system would enter production in 2028.
It bolts onto the front axle.
The automotive industry is clearly shaken in these uncertain times. At the top of the list of concerns is the ongoing trade war between the United States and the rest of the world, but let’s not forget the recent slowdown in the electric vehicle transition. In short, predicting what might happen over the next two or three years has become an increasingly difficult exercise for auto manufacturers.
That’s precisely why hybrid technology has been gaining ground lately. But when it comes to fully electric vehicles — designed from the ground up to run on electricity alone — it’s not quite so simple. A young company backed by Renault, Geely, and petrochemical giant Aramco may hold part of the solution. Instead of converting gas-powered cars to electric, what if automakers did the opposite? What if you could take an EV and equip it with a hybrid powertrain?
That’s exactly the vision behind Horse Powertrain, which has developed a hybrid-electric power unit called the Future Hybrid Concept — a fully integrated technical solution set to debut at the Shanghai Auto Show.
Housed in a single compact module are a combustion engine, an electric motor, a transmission, and all the necessary power electronics. This “block” is designed to replace the front drive unit of an electric vehicle and can run on a wide range of fuels, including gasoline, ethanol-based biofuels, methanol, or even synthetic fuels.
With this all-in-one, drop-in solution, Horse Powertrain hopes to win over manufacturers looking for flexible alternatives. The unit is engineered to bolt directly onto the front axle of an EV, requiring minimal changes to the vehicle’s existing electrical architecture. A fuel tank and exhaust system still need to be integrated, of course, but the heavy lifting is already done once the hybrid engine module is mounted in place.
From a technical standpoint, the system can function in two different modes. It can either serve as a range extender for the battery already in the vehicle or act as a true hybrid powertrain, capable of powering the front wheels — or even all four, in combination with an electrically driven rear axle. The compact, transversely mounted design includes all key components: inverter, DC-DC converter, onboard charger — and even an 800-volt electrical system for rapid charging capabilities.
The only question that remains is whether this unconventional idea will spark interest. Horse Powertrain plans to begin production in 2028, betting that this hybrid rethink might just be the bridge the industry needs.
