{"id":63794,"date":"2025-05-20T02:18:06","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T06:18:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/reviving-internal-combustion-how-horse-powertrain-aims-to-innovate-beyond-electric-vehicles\/"},"modified":"2025-05-20T02:18:06","modified_gmt":"2025-05-20T06:18:06","slug":"reviving-internal-combustion-how-horse-powertrain-aims-to-innovate-beyond-electric-vehicles","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/reviving-internal-combustion-how-horse-powertrain-aims-to-innovate-beyond-electric-vehicles\/","title":{"rendered":"Reviving Internal Combustion: How Horse Powertrain Aims to Innovate Beyond Electric Vehicles"},"content":{"rendered":"

The automotive landscape is shifting rapidly, with electric vehicles (EVs) capturing headlines and market share. However, as we embrace this electric future, it\u2019s crucial to remember that internal combustion engines (ICE) still play a significant role in our transportation ecosystem. With EVs projected to account for only half of global sales by 2040, the question arises: what about the other half? This is where companies like Horse Powertrain step in, aiming to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of traditional engines.<\/p>\n

Why Focus on Internal Combustion Engines Now?<\/p>\n

As the world pivots towards electrification, many manufacturers have diverted their resources to EV development, often at the expense of advancing ICE technology. Matias Giannini, CEO of Horse Powertrain, highlights a critical point: \u201cDo we accept that 50% of cars being electric is enough?\u201d The answer, he suggests, should be a resounding no. Instead, we should strive to reduce emissions across all vehicle types, not just those powered by electricity.<\/p>\n

Horse Powertrain, a relatively new player in the automotive sector, emerged from the engine divisions of Geely and Renault. Unlike many startups, Horse is already profitable and has secured significant clients, demonstrating a strong market demand for its innovative approach to engine design and development. Giannini\u2019s vision is clear: to assist car manufacturers in creating more efficient powertrains, including compact hybrids that can fit into spaces previously reserved for electric motors.<\/p>\n

The Hybrid Solution: A Path to Profitability<\/p>\n

Giannini is particularly enthusiastic about the potential of hybrid vehicles. He believes that hybrids represent a viable path for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to generate revenue from battery electric vehicles (BEVs), which have faced challenges in global appeal. The hybrid model allows for a smoother transition for consumers who may not be ready to fully embrace electric driving.<\/p>\n

With a career spanning nearly three decades in the automotive industry, Giannini brings a wealth of experience to his role at Horse. His background in various aspects of vehicle engineering\u2014from brakes to powertrains\u2014equips him with a unique perspective on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry today. He emphasizes that the development of ICE technology is far from stagnant. Innovations in precombustion processes, alternative fuels, and turbocharging are just a few areas where significant advancements can still be made.<\/p>\n

The Race for Thermal Efficiency<\/p>\n

One of the most exciting aspects of Giannini\u2019s mission at Horse is the focus on thermal efficiency. In markets like China, there\u2019s a fierce competition among manufacturers to achieve higher thermal efficiency rates. Giannini notes that discussions around reaching 43%, 45%, or even 48% efficiency are becoming increasingly common. While some experts argue that hitting 50% efficiency is physically impossible, Giannini remains optimistic, believing there\u2019s still room for improvement.<\/p>\n

This drive for efficiency isn\u2019t just about performance; it\u2019s about sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of vehicles that will remain on the roads for years to come. By improving the thermal efficiency of ICEs, manufacturers can significantly cut emissions and fuel consumption, making a meaningful contribution to global efforts to combat climate change.<\/p>\n

Who\u2019s Listening?<\/p>\n

Interestingly, Giannini mentions that it\u2019s easier to identify which manufacturers Horse isn\u2019t engaging with than those they are. The early progress Horse has made in partnering with car makers indicates a growing recognition of the value in enhancing ICE technology. As the automotive industry evolves, it\u2019s clear that ICEs will continue to play a role, and companies like Horse are at the forefront of ensuring that role is as efficient and sustainable as possible.<\/p>\n

The big takeaway? The journey towards a greener automotive future isn\u2019t solely about electric vehicles. It\u2019s about smarter adjustments across the board. By focusing on improving internal combustion engines, we can make significant strides in reducing emissions and enhancing efficiency. So, whether you\u2019re an industry insider or a curious consumer, keep an eye on developments in this space; the future of transportation is still being written, and it\u2019s more diverse than you might think.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

\"Horse<\/a><\/p>\n

Downsizing and thermal efficiency are key to the engine builder’s mission as growth in EV uptake slows<\/p>\n

\n

The rush to electric cars<\/a> has generally coincided with a slowing down if not a complete pause in looking for breakthroughs in internal combustion engine development. Car makers\u2019 pockets typically do not run deep enough to invest so heavily in parallel technologies.<\/p>\n

Yet with EVs set to make up only half of all global sales by 2040, what about the other half? In the context of reducing emissions, Horse Powertrain CEO Matias Giannini asks: \u201cDo we accept that 50% of cars being electric is enough?\u201d<\/p>\n

Surely, reducing emissions of all kinds every step of the way and at every opportunity is logical \u2013 and that\u2019s where Horse comes in: \u201cto continue to improve the other 50%\u201d.<\/p>\n

Not even a year old, Horse was spun out of the engine divisions of Geely (including Volvo<\/a>) and the Renault<\/a> Group. It is a start-up with a difference: it is a profitable business that\u2019s not looking for extra investment and it has already banked some rather large customers.<\/p>\n

Giannini wants to help all car makers with engine design, development and manufacture. That includes everything from more traditional powertrains to compact hybrids that fit in the space of an electric motor in what were thought to be battery-electric-only architectures. Petrol-powered Renault 5<\/a>, anyone?<\/p>\n

Any public opinion issues aside, the industry is stuck on engine development, says Giannini, because profits were ploughed into developing EVs that\u00a0aren\u2019t selling. The hybrid conversion for EVs in particular excites him and \u201cis the only way OEMs are going to make money\u201d on natively BEV models that have limited global appeal.<\/p>\n

Brazilian-born Giannini is a mechanical engineer by trade and a self-confessed car guy. In a near-30- year varied career, he has worked on everything from brakes, suspension, chassis and powertrains across all different disciplines. In his most recent role, he did something similar to Horse at Continental, breaking out its engine operation as a stand-alone entity.<\/p>\n

All of these experiences have resulted in what he calls this \u201cmission\u201d being \u201cso appealing\u201d. He says there is \u201cdefinitely\u201d more to come from ICE, including developments in precombustion, alternative fuels, material use, turbochargers, emissions and exhausts.<\/p>\n

Thermal efficiency is another key area and in China in particular \u201cthere is a race for thermal efficiency\u201d. He says: \u201cEverybody is talking about it. Can we get to 43%, 45%, 46%? Who is going to have the best? Who knows how far we can get: 48%? Powertrain engineers say 50% is physically impossible, but I think there\u2019s room to improve in that direction.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s easier to list who Horse isn\u2019t speaking to, says Giannini, in partnering car makers that see the value in what he is offering amid \u201cincredible\u201d early progress. Don\u2019t write off ICE just yet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":63795,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,137],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-63794","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-featured","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63794","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=63794"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/63794\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/63795"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=63794"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=63794"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.globalvillagespace.com\/tech\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=63794"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}