Horse Powertrain Unveils New C15 Ultra-Compact Range-Extender

Horse Powertrain’s new ultra-compact C15 powertrain setup can transform your BEVs into REEVs with ease.

Horse Powertrain has just revealed what could possibly be its most compact powertrain setup to date, known as the C15. This ultra-compact powertrain setup has been designed to allow easy conversions of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) into range-extender electric vehicles (REEVs).

Set to be unveiled at the upcoming IAA Mobility 2025 motor show in Munich, the new C15 range-extender powertrain setup features a 1.5-liter 4-cyl nat-asp engine with an integrated generator and inverter to produce 94 hp. There’s also a peppier turbocharged version coming soon that outputs 161 hp, which can be used for larger D-segment EVs and even commercial vehicles.

Despite its rather ‘large’ capacity, Horse Powertrain claims this setup will be no larger than a briefcase, measuring 500 mm long, 550 mm wide, and 275 mm tall. Its compact setup also allows the C15 to be installed in the frunk of an EV or at its rear end in both horizontal and vertical positions.

Adding some flexibility to the mix, Horse Powertrain also says that the 1.5-litre lump has been designed to accept various types of fuels, including petrol, synthetic fuels, ethanol, and even methanol flex-fuels. For better and cleaner emission, the engine is also said to be compliant with the strict Euro 7 emission regulations.

Being developed solely as a range-extender kit, the C15 is not being engineered to drive the car’s wheels directly. Instead, it will run at its most efficient rev range to generate electricity for the EV’s battery pack while maintaining relatively low levels of noise and vibration.

According to Horse Powertrain CEO Mattias Gianni, the new Horse C15 range-extender powertrain “offers car companies a straightforward and cost-effective way to tap into this opportunity and adapt their native BEV platforms into REEVs.”

As of now, Horse Powertrain has yet to unveil any potential client for its new C15 range-extender powertrain setup. But given the company is essentially a joint venture of Geely, Renault, and Saudi’s Aramco, we can expect it to arrive in future Geely or Renault models.