Horse Technologies introduces first fully integrated hybrid drive unit

LONDON: Horse Technologies, the low-emission powertrain division of Horse Powertrain, has unveiled its first fully integrated hybrid drive unit, the HR18 HEV.

Developed at the firm’s R&D centres in Romania and Spain, the HR18 HEV will be manufactured at Horse Technologies’ plants in Bursa, Türkiye, and Valladolid, Spain.

The HR18 HEV consolidates a combustion engine, electric motor, transmission and power electronics into a single, compact unit suitable for a broad spectrum of mobility applications.

Its core is the newly launched ‘HR18’ engine, a 1.8 litre, four-cylinder gasoline direct-injection unit weighing 100kg.

Tuned to Atkinson-cycle operation for hybrid use, it produces 80kW (108PS) and 172Nm of torque, accepts flex-fuel blends of up to 10 per cent ethanol and meets both Euro 6E-BIS and forthcoming Euro 7 emissions standards.

Development of the HR18 took place at Horse Technologies’ Bucharest R&D centre, with casting, machining and assembly at Valladolid and Bursa.

Complementing the engine is the BTA Gen2 lithium-ion battery system from Valladolid.

Weighing 36kg, it stores 1.4 kWh of energy within a 707 × 422 × 190 mm package, and discharges at up to 11.6 Ah across a 150–279 V range. Its two-module, 34-cell arrangement incorporates an integrated cooling system.

The powertrain uses the clutchless DB45S gearbox, built in Seville, Spain, capable of handling up to 436 Nm of torque.

Electric drive is provided by Horse Technologies’ 5DH motor, assembled at the Aveiro, Portugal, plant, which delivers a peak 50 kW of power and 212 Nm of torque.

By integrating all principal components into a single assembly, Horse Technologies aims to simplify hybrid system installation, reduce weight and improve overall efficiency for original equipment manufacturers seeking versatile, low-emission drive solutions.