Horse Partners With Marcopolo to Develop New Hybrid Microbus

HORSE, Marcopolo S.A., and WEG S.A. have developed the Volare Attack 9, Brazil’s first hybrid ethanol microbus with a Range Extender. Revealed at Lat.Bus 2024 Expo

London, United Kingdom- HORSE, a division of HORSE Powertrain Limited., an innovative and low-emission powertrain systems, has partnered with Marcopolo S.A., a bus manufacturer in South America, and WEG S.A., the Brazilian multinational manufacturer of electronic equipment, to develop the new Volare Attack 9 hybrid microbus.

This new vehicle is the first hybrid ethanol microbus to make use of a Range Extender solution, and was presented at the Marcopolo stand at Lat.Bus 2024 Expo.

Targeted to go on sale in 2026, the Volare Attack 9 will offer a maximum range of 450km. Like most new vehicles in Brazil, the combustion engine will be fuelled by sustainable and domestically produced bioethanol, meaning that it will offer carbon neutral mobility for customers and operators.

Mr. Patrice Haettel, Chief Executive Officer at HORSE, said, “This Range Extender solution in the Volare Attack 9 is the result of an incredible collaboration between HORSE, WEG, and Marcopolo. Our significant footprint in the South America region ideally placed us to be a central partner for the delivery of such an exciting project. Marcopolo is demonstrating industry leadership in introducing the technology into the microbus class. We hope this will be the start of what will be a range of sustainable solutions using this technology to debut in the region and beyond.”

The Volare Attack 9 hybrid, Brazil’s first ethanol-powered minibus with a Range Extender, features a specialized low-emission powertrain. Building on its success, HORSE and WEG plan to introduce a standardized Range Extender for both light and heavy commercial vehicles. The system combines WEG's components electric generators, e-motors, inverters, and battery packs with HORSE’s 85kW turbo 1.0-litre ‘HR10’ engine, running on clean, carbon-neutral bioethanol.

HORSE’s Range Extender technology delivers scalable decarbonized mobility by using a combustion engine solely to charge the vehicle’s battery, unlike traditional PHEVs where the engine drives the wheels. This design ensures the combustion engine operates within its high-efficiency range, reducing fuel consumption and emissions while providing flexible, low-emissions transport.

Similar to traditional PHEVs, the Range Extender’s combustion engine activates based on battery charge and location, and the battery can be charged via public chargers or domestic power supplies. Due to its efficient design, the Range Extender’s high-voltage battery is about half the size of a pure EV battery, resulting in cost and weight savings and offering better packaging flexibility for enhanced efficiency.