ARTICLE AD BOX
Chennai: In a major development signaling thawing ties with China, the government of India is all set to approve a $370 million investment for a hybrid engine plant in Chennai. The investment proposal has come from Horse Powertrain Limited, a Joint Venture between France-based Renault and Chinese auto major Geely, as Renault aims to boost its production at its existing manufacturing plant in Chennai.
Horse Powertrain was officially formed in mid 2024 as an equal partnership between Renault and Geely, with Saudi Aramco entering the fray later. The London-headquartered company is an autonomous supplier of highly efficient internal combustion engines (ICE) using alternative fuel solutions like green methanol and hydrogen.The plant is being set up to synergize with Renault’s existing facility in Chennai as it looks to enhance its offerings.
The company will operationalize the project in phases with the core focus being the production of advanced hybrid powertrains and engines that integrate in traditional internal combustion technology vehicles, including localized Renault SUV models.
Renault is expected to launch a variant of its highly popular Duster sport SUV later this year with Horse Powertrain’s engines, even as the company is exploring supplying to other automakers as well.
This development comes at a time when the government is actively looking to wean itself away from fuel imports, as it looks to increase fuel blending beyond E20 and incentivize electric vehicle adoption.
English (US) ·