So that we can all get our bearings, Horse is a recently created company that aims to continue advancing in the field of combustion engines and hybrid systems. Behind it are Renault and Geely, both with a 50% stake, so they share the costs in this area. Given the above, it made some sense that the Renault engine factory in Valladolid be part of this project and some changes will be made. They are now working on new engines and have received interesting investments.
This is about the plug-in hybrid system that equips the new Renault Rafale E-Tech 4×4 Hybrid. Although we tested the conventional hybrid version, we also anticipated that the top of the range would be a plug-in with a higher level of power and all-wheel drive. The basis of this system is a 1.2-litre three-cylinder turbocharged engine which has been optimized to work in conjunction with an electric part. The combustion engine is precisely what Horse is assembling in Valladolid, all after a significant investment was made to prepare its facilities.
The project began back in July 2021, after a investment of 4 million euros which served to modify and expand its assembly line, and thus be able to start producing this plug-in hybrid engine. This has also required an investment of 260,000 euros in personnel and has resulted in the Creation of 345 jobsThis is always good news for the national industry, which has achieved the milestone of having the first plug-in hybrid engine from Horse manufactured in Spain and the second worldwide. Named internally as the Horse HR12 engine, it aims to stand out for its efficiency and adaptability.
The 1.2-liter three-cylinder block has a power of 152 hp and 230 Nm of torqueworks together with three electric motors: a main one on the front axle, a secondary one to move the rear axle and the HSG (high voltage starter generator). In this way, a combined power of 300 hp is achieved and the multimode gearbox is used as a link. The Rafale E-Tech 4×4 Hybrid also has a 22 kWh battery. Returning to Valladolid, for the moment they have the Initial objective: to produce 1,200 engines HR12 per month. However, they have a maximum capacity of 6,875 units per month, so this could be expanded in the future.
