A Horse Powertrain has introduced the B20, a four-cylinder turbo engine with a 2.0-liter capacity, designed for hybrid applications. A notable feature of this engine is its submersible functionality, allowing it to operate underwater up to 1.1 meters deep.
A Horse Powertrain is a joint venture established in 2024, resulting from the partnership between the French company Renault and the Chinese company Geely. According to the manufacturer, the unit complies with the IPX8 sealing standard, ensuring that its electrical components and sensors are sealed, in addition to having a specific seal between the engine and the transmission.
When sensors detect the presence of water, the electronic control unit adjusts the power or modifies the accelerator response, thus keeping the engine running. The B20 generates between 190 and 252 horsepower and between 30.6 and 38.7 kgfm of torque, weighing 130 kg. It was designed to be used in light hybrid vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and electric vehicles with extended range.
Furthermore, Horse claims that the engine can maintain continuous power even on ramps with 100% inclination, equivalent to 45 degrees, supported by a dual active cooling system. One of the points most emphasized by the company is its thermal efficiency. The B20 uses the Miller cycle, which keeps the intake valve open at the beginning of the compression stroke, combining this with direct injection, specialized pistons, and high-turbulence intake ducts, resulting in a declared efficiency of 48.4%.
For comparison, traditional gasoline engines have efficiencies between 25% and 30%, while the Miller cycle engine in the Toyota Prius operates near 40%. It is important to note that this data presented by Horse has not yet undergone independent verification.
The B20 was unveiled during the Beijing Auto Show in April and is already being implemented in the Geely Galaxy Cruiser 700, an SUV sold in China, integrated into a plug-in hybrid system that includes a three-speed gearbox also developed by Horse. The company specifically targets this powertrain for SUVs and pickup trucks intended for rigorous use.
Horse operates as an engine supplier for the Renault Group and concentrates its activities in Latin America in São José dos Pinhais, located in the metropolitan area of Curitiba. At the Ayrton Senna Complex, the company directly employs approximately 700 people and manufactures the 1.0 and 1.3 turbo flex engines from the HR10 and HR13 families, which are used in models such as the Kardian. The factory in Paraná is also responsible for the engineering of the company's flex engines, within an investment plan of R$ 865.7 million scheduled between 2023 and 2028. However, Horse has not disclosed whether there will be a B20 version for ethanol or if the engine will be applied in vehicles sold in Brazil.