HORSE starts the production of 1.2-litre HR12 engine in Mioveni plant, Romania

HORSE, a global leader in innovative and low emissions powertrain systems, today starts the manufacturing and assembly of its highly efficient 1.2-litre, 3-cylinder gasoline engine (HR12) at its plant in Mioveni, Romania.

The most efficient engine among the HORSE product portfolio and the most powerful produced at HORSE Romania, the HR12 is used in several vehicles, including hybrids.

The beginning of production in Mioveni supplements HORSE’s global capacity for the HR12 engine, with engines produced in Romania to be installed in new Dacia Duster models. The HORSE Valladolid factory in Spain will continue to produce the engine for the Renault Austral and Espace models.

Patrice Haettel, Chief Executive Officer of HORSE, said: “We have started the production of the HR12 engine at our factory in Romania, building upon our ongoing assembly of the engine in Valladolid, Spain. It is part of a global strategy that provides us with unprecedented scale and competitiveness due to our proximity to key markets. This manufacturing agreement is good news for HORSE, for the Mioveni plant and, above all, for the market”.

Expanding HORSE’s global footprint

HORSE Romania will assemble the HR12 engine on-site – as well as the casting for the cylinder blocks in its aluminium foundry, the largest of its kind in Romania and within the HORSE ecosystem.

HORSE has extensively invested in the Mioveni facility to enable HR12 production. On the assembly line more than 75 % of existing workstations have been modified and 24 new workstations installed. As a result, the full production lifecycle – including the casting and the finishing of the cylinder blocks – will be completely in-house.

HORSE has also invested in advanced testing and quality assurance capabilities in Mioveni, including a helium leak testing system, a CT scanner for cylinder blocks, and high-pressure washing and drying machines.

As a result of these investments, the company has created 70 new permanent local jobs and expects the newly installed capacity to produce 450,000 engines per year. 18 per cent of production will be exported outside of the EU to HORSE’s Bursa plant in Turkey.

Next-generation engine technology

The highly efficient HR12 is a 3-cylinder, 1.2-litre gasoline engine that is designed to cover a range of product needs. It has a maximum power output of 96Kw at 4,500 rpm, with a maximum torque of 230Nm at 1,800 rpm. Developed for both EU and global markets, the HR12 fully complies with EU6D-Full regulations, and is designed to also comply with new Euro7 regulations.

It delivers state-of-the art thermal management, using technologies such as water-charged air coolers and low-pressure cooled exhaust gas recirculation. The HR12 has a long-stroke layout for greater fuel economy during use.

HORSE: a leader in automotive innovation

HORSE was created to provide highly efficient, low-emission engines, transmissions, and technologies to meet the varying power generation needs around the world. HORSE operates eight production plants across seven countries, three R&D centres and a head office based in Madrid, Spain – the company produces 3.2 million units per year for its customers around the world.