Horse Powertrain, the joint venture between Renault and China's Geely Group, will debut its Future Hybrid powertrain concept at Auto Shanghai 2025. Vehicles featuring the system are slated to launch in 2028.
Bloomberg and National Business Daily report that the module combines an internal combustion engine, electric motor, and transmission into a compact unit that can directly replace EV drive systems without altering existing platforms.
The system includes a full power electronics suite—controller, inverter, DC/DC converter, and onboard charger—supports 800V fast charging, and runs on gasoline, ethanol, methanol, or synthetic fuels.
Its drop-in design allows automakers to convert EV platforms into hybrids without retooling, cutting production costs and material usage.
CEO Matias Giannini said the hybrid system is designed for seamless integration into BEV platforms, with commercial rollout expected in 2028.
Established in May 2024 and based in London, Horse Powertrain is jointly owned by Renault and Geely (45% each), with Saudi Aramco acquiring a 10% stake for EUR740 million (approx. US$841 million) in December 2024.
The company runs 17 factories with 19,000 employees and an annual output capacity of over 5 million hybrid systems. Revenue is forecast to hit EUR15 billion in 2025.
In March, Giannini noted that Horse Powertrain has set up production hubs in China, Europe, and South America, with North America still under evaluation as its next potential market.
Article edited by Jack Wu
