New waterproof engine from Horse can drive underwater, and Geely's already using it
Horse has developed a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol motor that is fully waterproof up to 1.1 metres
After a long, hot, dry summer, the heavens have opened and we’re back to what Britain does best: getting wet. If the idea of traversing flood water fills you (and your car) with dread, worry no more – Horse has just revealed a fully waterproof engine.
Horse Powertrain is a company that designs and builds engines, hybrid systems and transmissions for some of the world’s biggest car makers – including Renault, Volvo, Geely and Mitsubishi. Now, it has developed the Horse B20, a low-emission, hybrid powertrain designed for “vehicles that tackle extreme off-road terrains and deep-water wading”.
The 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine produces between 187bhp and 248bhp, plus 300-380Nm of torque depending on specification. It can apparently support hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and even range-extender (REEV) tech, and has a thermal-efficiency rating of 48.7 per cent. Its maker says it brings “all-terrain capabilities to hybrid vehicles, including applications for SUVs and pick-up trucks”.
Horse says the engine is fully compliant with IPX8 waterproofing standards, and can be submerged at depths of up to 1,100mm. To achieve this, the unit is fully sealed and uses IPX8 components and sensors to “monitor the surrounding operating environment of the engine”.
For comparison, a Land Rover Defender – available now via the Auto Express Buy a Car service – offers a wading depth of 900mm, while a Jeep Wrangler is capped at 760mm. In both cases, however, the engines themselves aren’t entirely waterproof.
When submerged, the B20’s control systems make automatic adjustments to alter throttle response or limit power based on signals from the sensors. This, Horse claims, ensures “stable operation of the engine under deep wading conditions”.
The Horse B20’s first application can be found in the China-only Geely Galaxy Cruiser 700 – a rough and rugged 4x4 that its maker claims “[bridges] tradition and innovation”. The old-school off-roader uses a ladder-frame chassis, and is powered by the new engine, paired with a three-speed intelligent hybrid transmission.
Earlier this year we revealed that the Galaxy Cruiser (sometimes referred to as Galaxy Battleship) will be coming to the UK in 2028. At the time, Geely designer Flavien Dachet told us the car was “opening doors to potentially more products that could be launched in the off-road space, so it’s the first of hopefully many more to come”.
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