Horse's much heralded launch officially took place on 1 July. The new flagship company is based in Madrid and has been set up by the Renault group to develop, produce and supply the next generation of low-emission thermal and hybrid power-plant technologies for the automotive sector.

The company has inherited know-how and industrial assets in this field from its parent company. The extent of this know-how and industrial assets meant that Horse was set up with 9,000 employees from the Renault group and a production capacity of 3.2 million units per year across eight factories and three research and development centres in seven countries: Cordoba (Argentina), Curitiba (Brazil), Los Andes (Chile), Aveiro (Portugal), Bucharest, Mioveni and Titu (Romania), Bursa (Turkey) and Madrid, Seville and Valladolid (Spain).

Independent global supplier
One of the premises behind creating the new company was to make it an independent global supplier of propulsion system solutions that will develop carbon-free and low-emission technologies. In fact, while it will initially supply its current industrial customers (Renault, Dacia, Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors Company), it is expected that, in the future, it will be able to offer its products to other automobile brands as well.

The components Horse will specialise in are engines, gearboxes, hybridisation systems and batteries. Its propulsion systems, including internal combustion as well as full hybrids and plug-in hybrids, will be designed to work interchangeably with all types of current and even future energy sources, such as hydrogen and other sustainable fuels.

Technological expertise
As Horse CEO Patrice Haettel explained, "In 2040, combustion and hybrid vehicles will still account for over 50% of global sales. Horse will lead this market with best-in-class low-emission solutions thanks to its technological expertise. It is a unique experience and a great source of collective pride to contribute to creating a company of this scale. All of Horse's teams around the world are ready to make it an international benchmark for combustion engine and hybrid technologies.”

In addition, the Renault group has also announced the creation of a new body, in partnership with Chinese automobile manufacturer Geely, in which the two companies will combine their respective propulsion system design and production subsidiaries: Aurobay and Horse. Saudi Arabia's Aramco did in turn sign a letter of intent with both companies on 2 March and is evaluating the possibility of making a strategic investment to boost this new venture.

The combined portfolio of the two companies will enable them to offer their products to 80% of the world's internal combustion engine market. Their combined facilities will have the capacity to manufacture more than five million gearboxes and engines per year, with 19,000 employees and 22 production sites worldwide.

^{Photo: Renault group}