HORSE develops first in-house transmission technology for micromobility project

HORSE, a division of Horse Powertrain and a leader in innovative and low emissions powertrain systems, has collaborated with Portugal’s Centre of Engineering and Product Development (CEiiA) to design and develop a new transmission technology for light vehicles, as this market is growing very fast towards 2030.

The new ‘reducer’ transmission is the first of a new generation of technologies that have been designed, developed and built in-house by HORSE.

HORSE will deliver the initial prototypes of this technology from its Aveiro production facility. Each will be fitted to an L7e-class microcar – a light vehicle designed for a new mobility service to accelerate carbon neutrality in cities. This will be developed and tested by CEiiA in a preproduction series, with approval targeted during the first half of 2025.

CEiiA’s new light vehicle project is being developed as part of the organisation’s ongoing mission to develop and scale new products and services to enable carbon neutral urban mobility. The value chain for the microcar will be based in Portugal, with the involvement of global players to enable delivery. The vehicle follows previous micromobility projects, including Buddy in 2008 and the Toyota APM presented at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Full-scale production of the new transmission component could start as early as the second half of 2025, with as many as 20,000 units delivered from the Portugal plant as urban-mobility solutions scale up. Plans are for integration of the gearbox into the light vehicle design with performance testing by December of 2025.

Patrice Haettel, Chief Executive at HORSE, said: “This new offering is a first for HORSE – the first technology that the team has completely designed, developed, and manufactured in-house – a watershed moment for the brand. There is no single solution to solving the global challenges of decarbonisation or urban mobility, and we see this technology as one of the many in-house products that help to answers these challenges. Together, HORSE and CEiiA are making an important contribution to the overall challenge of delivering affordable and sustainable urban mobility at scale.”

Municipal micromobility at scale

CEiiA is spearheading the development of its new urban microcar solution, in partnership with leading automotive companies. Designed for the use in dense urban areas, the first public trial for the new L7e vehicle will take place in several cities in Portugal. Following its targeted approval date of the second half of 2025, it will offer an accessible transit solution across the city.

This initiative aims to be a model for other cities around the world, with CEiiA planning to scale the vehicle for mass use in the coming years. HORSE is already researching other micromobility projects around the world that could make use of the gearbox reducer developed for this project.