Horse Powertrain, a joint venture between Renault Group, Chinese automobile giant Geely and energy giant Aramco, has officially unveiled its first fully plug-in hybrid powertrain. The new HR18 HEV is the result of close engineering collaboration between the company's European technology centers in Romania and Spain and takes the Horse Powertrain brand to the next level in its global strategy to reduce emissions and improve the energy efficiency of vehicles.
The HR18 HEV system is a fully integrated hybrid powertrain that combines a gasoline engine, an electric motor, an automatic transmission and control electronics into a single unit. This approach allows for a significant reduction in the size and weight of the entire system, while increasing energy efficiency. Unlike the separate layout, the new design is aimed at achieving maximum synergy between all components.
The power unit is based on the new four-cylinder 1.8-liter HR18 engine with direct injection, designed exclusively for hybrid drives. It operates on the economical Atkinson cycle, has a power of 108 horsepower and develops a maximum torque of 172 Nm. At the same time, the mass of the unit is only 100 kg. The engine fully complies with the latest environmental standards Euro 6E-BIS and Euro 7, and is also compatible with fuel mixtures with an ethanol content of up to 10%.
The electric component of the hybrid system is provided by a 5DH electric motor with a power of 68 horsepower and a torque of 212 Nm. It is powered by a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 1.4 kWh, consisting of two modules with 34 cells each. The battery weighs 36 kg. The battery is equipped with an integrated cooling system, which ensures stable operation in various temperature conditions and under high loads.
One of the key innovations in the HR18 HEV design is the new DB45S gearbox, a clutchless automatic transmission capable of handling a maximum torque of 436 Nm. It has been designed specifically for hybrid use and is part of the integrated module.
Production of the powertrain will begin soon at Horse Technologies’ plants in Valladolid (Spain) and Bursa (Turkey). The transmission will be manufactured at the Seville plant in Spain. The company is already preparing to expand its production capacity to meet demand in both Europe and overseas markets.