Horse D20 Methanol: A New Compact Power Module for Hybrid Vehicles
Horse Powertrain has introduced the Horse D20 Methanol power module for series hybrid vehicles, in which the internal combustion engine is not mechanically connected to the wheels, operates as a generator, and charges the traction battery. The ICE used here is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine running on methanol, while electricity is generated by a compact axial flux electric machine.
Horse Powertrain is a joint venture established in 2024, owned by the French Renault Group (45%), the Geely holding company (45%), and the Saudi Arabian petrochemical company Aramco (10%). Horse Powertrain focuses on the development and production of internal combustion engines (gasoline, diesel, alcohol, and gas), transmissions, and hybrid powertrains. Its headquarters are in London, and its 18 factories are located in Europe, China, and South America.
Horse Powertrain has already developed a range of solutions for integrating ICEs into electric vehicles. The newly introduced Horse D20 Methanol power module joins this lineup and is the most energy-efficient, with a claimed efficiency of 47%. The module consists of a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine running on methanol and a disc-shaped axial flux electric machine connected to its crankshaft, which boasts an “extremely high efficiency” of 96.4%.
The maximum combined power of the module is 105 kW (143 hp), while it weighs only 170 kg, and its overall length is 46% less than that of analogs using radial flux electric machines. The developers promise trouble-free ICE startup at temperatures as low as -35 °C. Fully charging a 40 kWh battery with this module would require only 19.6 liters of fuel.
Why methanol? On a global scale, this type of fuel is still considered exotic, but it is gaining popularity in China in the commercial transport and taxi segments. The Geely holding company already offers passenger cars and trucks running on methanol.
Additionally, synthetic methanol (e-methanol) is seen as a promising, conditionally carbon-neutral fuel produced from hydrogen and carbon dioxide. It is expected that e-methanol could eventually replace gasoline in internal combustion engines of sports cars, heavy trucks, marine vessels, and even aircraft. The problem is that producing e-methanol requires green hydrogen, obtained from water through electrolysis using renewable energy sources, and CO₂ must be extracted from the air, which also requires a lot of energy.
In short, synthetic methanol is currently very expensive. In the commercial transport segment, it lags behind bio-diesel alternatives (such as HVO) in terms of cost and ease of implementation, as these do not require engine modifications. However, in the long term, e-methanol appears attractive due to the virtually unlimited supply of raw materials for its production (air and water). In China, methanol is primarily derived from coal.
