Horse Powertrain – a joint venture between Geely and Renault – has revealed the B20, a new engine that the company says is fully waterproof. Meeting IPX8 waterproofing standards, the B20 can operate up to depths of 1.1 metres and designed for extreme off-road vehicles and deep-water wading.
The company said its new engine brings all-terrain capabilities to hybrid vehicles, with applications for SUVs and pick-up trucks in mind. To meet the demands of such vehicles, it is also capable of maintaining continuous and stable power output under extreme off-road high-load conditions, including 100% grade climbing. The B20 is already used for the PHEV powertrain in the Geely Galaxy Cruiser 700, paired with Horse’s 3DHT230 three-speed hybrid transmission.
To achieve the IPX8 rating, the engine uses a fully sealed waterproof structure equipped with torsional vibration dampers and dedicated engine-transmission sealing. The electrical components and sensors are also IPX8-rated, and when submerged in water, the engine’s control system makes automatic adjustments such as limiting power or adjusting the throttle response based on what the sensors feed it.
In terms of technical specifications, the B20 is 2.0 litre turbocharged inline-four petrol engine that weighs just 130 kg. It features direct fuel injection and operates on the Miller cycle for a brake thermal efficiency of 48.4%.
Horse Powertrain says the engine outputs between 190 PS (188 hp or 140 kW) and 252 PS (248 hp or 185 kW), with peak torque ranging between 300 and 380 Nm. In addition to hybrid vehicles, it can also be used in plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) as well as range-extended electric vehicles (REEVs).
To achieve leaner, cleaner combustion and to maximise fuel economy, the B20 gets high-pressure injectors and high-tumble intake ports to enable greater air-fuel mixing. Additionally, the pistons are designed to further promote air-fuel mixing at the peak of the compression cycle.
For better NVH and durability the B20 uses a gantry-type aluminium block with an integrated exhaust manifold and a simplified balance shaft system. There’s also a variable displacement oil pump ensuring optimal oil flow and pressure throughout the engine. A fully active dual-cooling system keeps engine temperatures at bay.
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