Horse has started production of its 1.3-litre, 4-cylinder ‘HR13’ engine at its facility in Curitiba, Brazil. The company is a division of Spain-headquartered Horse Powertrain, a leading supplier of low-emission powertrain systems.

The new HR13 turbo engine is a flex fuel variant engineered specifically for the South American market. It can run on petrol & ethanol blends and is fully compliant with L8 emissions standards. It offers a peak power of 163PS (120kW), as well as peak torque load of 250Nm at just 1,600rpm.

The company shared that the HR13 engine benefits from a bespoke direct injection system, which has specially developed for ethanol fuel use. Each cylinder is accompanied by a centrally mounted six-hole injectors operating at 200bar pressure, tailored for exceptional fuel atomisation that delivers effortless power and torque without impacting fuel efficiency.

Horse recently invested BRL 100 million (USD 17.24 million) investment in the Curitiba facility, which will facilitate HR13 production as a key output of the plant. The company will be able to produce 600,000 units annually across its portfolio of engines.

Wesley Palma, Plant Director at Horse Curitiba, said, "The start of HR13 production in Brazil demonstrates our commitment to delivering engineering and manufacturing solutions tailored to local markets. Specifically created with flex fuel capability, the highly efficient HR13 is perfectly suited to Brazilian OEMs and consumers. Horse is particularly committed to localising key manufacturing processes, such as casting for the engine’s cylinder heads.”

Patrice Haettel, CEO, Horse, said: “This move reinforces our commitment to the Brazilian market and South America. Our message has always been clear: there’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all approach to global mobility, but instead tailor-made solutions that reflect regional needs. The HR13 reflects this ethos, powered by low-emissions flex fuels and optimised for Brazilian market needs.”

Pune-headquartered auto component supplier Kinetic Engineering has appointed Vinayak Jayaram Shevade as its new Chief Financial Officer (CFO).

He will be responsible for driving the company’s financial strategy amid its ambitious expansion plans. It was recently that Kinetic Engineering had outlined its INR 1.77 billion investment plans towards enhancing working capital, expanding manufacturing capabilities and accelerating the development of electric vehicle components. The company has an ambition to attain INR 10 billion in revenue by 2029.

Shevade is a Chartered Accountant and Commerce graduate from Mumbai University, and had previously held key leadership roles at Kinetic Honda Motor, Mahindra Two Wheelers and Kinetic Engineering.

"I am honoured to take on this role at KEL, a company with a strong legacy of innovation and excellence. I look forward to contributing to its financial strength and supporting its ambitious growth plans. My goal over the next two years is to strengthen the company’s financial position by driving higher turnover, improving EBITDA & net profit and optimising financial leverage. I look forward to contributing to KEL’s growth journey and long-term success,"said Shevade.

Ajinkya Firodia, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, Kinetic Engineering, said, “Vinayak’s deep financial expertise and leadership will be instrumental in driving KEL’s strategic objectives. We are confident his experience will help propel the company’s continued success.”

Tier 1 supplier Uno Minda has announced that it has received Board approval to increase its stake in UnoMinda EV Systems from the 50.10 percent to 100 percent by acquiring the remaining equity stake from its joint venture partner FRIWO Geratebau (FRIWO) for approximately INR 1.95 billion.

The acquisition also includes the Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), the know-how and R&D team relating to the e-drives business technologies including the required control hardware and service software, from FRIWO's locations in Germany and Vietnam.

The e-drive technologies comprise of electric powertrain solutions for application in electric two- and three-wheeler vehicles.

Established in December 2021, the JV supplies products such as on-board chargers, off-board chargers, battery management systems (BMS), motor control units and vehicle control units.

Nirmal K Minda, CMD, Uno Minda Group, said, “We are extremely grateful to FRIWO for their partnership and valuable contributions to the success of UMEV over the years. With the acquisition of the remaining stake and the integration of e-Drive technologies, we are confident that UMEV will further strengthen its position as a leader in the Indian EV systems market. We see immense growth potential in the Indian electric vehicle market, particularly in the two-wheeler segment, and this acquisition will enable us to capitalize on this opportunity and explore new avenues for growth.”

American technology supplier BorgWarner has announced that it has recently secured four new projects with three major Chinese automakers. This includes supplying 400V high-voltage hairpin (HVH) motors to a Chinese EV maker for its 200kW hybrid rear-drive platform. The production is planned to start in August 2025.

The American component maker will also supply motors to the other Chinese OEM for its 150kW pure electric platform, scheduled for mass production in March 2026. Additionally, the company will supply e-motors for the next-generation vehicles of another major Chinese domestic OEM, which includes both range-extended and plug-in hybrid models, with production anticipated to begin in August and October 2025.

Dr. Stefan Demmerle, President & General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems, said, “We are pleased to extend our success in China with several new electric motor business wins for a variety of hybrid and electric applications. We are dedicated to continuously innovating our technology and improving our manufacturing processes to deliver high-quality products and services to meet the evolving needs of new energy vehicle customers.”

BorgWarner shared that to meet the growing demand in China’s new energy vehicle market, it has introduced a new eMotor technology called Ultra Short High Voltage Hairpin (S-HVH), which uses an optimised manufacturing processes to produce very short end turn lengths that reduces overall length of the motor.

The S-HVH eMotor technology reduces end-size by over 5mm compared to traditional HVH winding, while also lowering axial volume, increasing power density and reducing copper usage for improved efficiency and cost savings.

BorgWarner, a leading supplier for the automotive industry has further extended its supply program with a North American-based OEM.

The company has extended contracts on several wastegate turbocharger programs for midsized petrol engines, which will be used in several of the automaker’s midsized and large SUVs, as well as truck applications, with production to continue through 2028 and beyond.

BorgWarner stated that its reliable wastegate turbo technology features a robust design that enables lightweighting and durability, and delivers a quick boost response and powerful performance.

For the unversed all turbochargers making up the extension feature wastegate actuators to help release excess built up energy within the engine. They are also electrically actuated, allowing for more precise control of boost levels, improving fuel efficiency and reducing emissions.

Volker Weng, Vice-President of BorgWarner and President and General Manager, Turbos and Thermal Technologies, said, “BorgWarner has a longstanding and trusted relationship with this OEM, having supplied them with our turbochargers for more than 10 years. These platform extensions are a testament to the strong collaboration between our engineering teams and we look forward to continuing our work together through the rest of this decade and beyond.”