A company called Horse has just announced a hybrid system that combines a gas engine and electric motors in a platform designed for EVs. This rear-engine flat-four system could be a lifesaver for automakers that have gone all-in on electric platforms while their gas ones got stale. Though you haven't heard of the company, you've probably already heard of its engines. More Flexibility On Existing Platforms Horse Powertrain The latest idea from Horse Powertrain, supplier to Renault, Nissan, and even Mercedes-Benz, is called the X-Range C15 Direct Drive. It's designed to put a four-cylinder gas engine and everything else that goes with it into the space meant for a rear-mount electric motor. That includes the engine, transmission, power electronics, and even its own two electric motors.Everything goes into one housing that can mount to the rear subframe. The 1.5-liter four-cylinder can come naturally aspirated and make 94 horsepower for smaller vehicles, or get a turbo to turn it up to 161 for heavier models.Horse Powertrain The trick is that the engine is mounted flat instead of upright. That way, it doesn't intrude into cargo space or rear seat space, and it doesn't require a completely redesigned rear floorpan. It uses an oil scavenging system much like a dry sump to let it run on its side, where most engines can't survive.Horse designed the engine to support parallel and series hybrid modes. The gas engine can work purely as a generator, powering the battery pack and the output motor. The output motor can drive the vehicle by itself using the battery or with the help of the gas engine, and the vehicle can use the gas engine to drive the rear wheels directly, which Horse says is more efficient than pure series hybrids. Lets EVs Become Anything They Want Horse Powertrain Because the engine replaces the rear motor, the vehicle can still have its front motor. The system can power all-wheel drive just fine that way, but it can also be used for RWD. Because it doesn't interfere with the battery pack area, the battery can be sized for a traditional hybrid, a PHEV, or even an extended-range EV. Horse says it can be used for all three, plus the original EV, "without any significant changes to vehicle design or production environments.""The X-Range family of powertrains is about reflecting today’s market realities, allowing automakers to pivot from BEVs to hybrids and range extenders on a single platform, quickly and at scale," said Matias Giannini, Chief Executive Officer of Horse Powertrain. "The X-Range C15 Direct Drive is an ‘all-in-one’ powertrain, allowing BEV platforms to be converted to HEVs, PHEVs, and REEVs with little redesign or tooling changes required, dramatically reducing time-to-market, amortizing BEV investments, and catering to the diverse array of mobility needs in today’s global market."Horse Powertrain was founded when Renault saw the electric writing on the wall. It split out its gas engine business into a new joint venture with China's Geely, and the result became Horse Powertrain. The company designs and builds gas engines and hybrid systems for Renault, Nissan, and even the latest Mercedes-Benz CLA, and has built more than 10 million engines already. This new system will be on display at the Beijing Auto Show 2026 starting later this week.
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