The automotive world is usually quick to dismiss LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) as yesterday’s fuel—a stopgap for taxis, budget cars, and markets where gasoline and diesel come at a premium. But a new engine rolling out of Romania might just change that perception. Horse Technologies, the new propulsion arm spun out of Renault and Geely, has launched production of the world’s first mass-produced direct-injection LPG engine. And it’s not just a clever lab experiment—it’s an industrial-scale, Euro 6e–certified, mild-hybrid-equipped reality.
At the heart of this breakthrough sits the HR12 LPG, a turbocharged 1.2-liter three-cylinder designed to sip both gasoline and LPG. On paper, it looks like a sensible modern powertrain: 138 horsepower at 5,500 rpm, 170 pound-feet of torque from as low as 2,100 rpm, and mild-hybrid torque fill courtesy of a 48-volt belt-driven starter generator. But the real party trick is the way it burns LPG.
Traditionally, LPG engines have relied on indirect injection, mixing the vaporized fuel with air before it enters the cylinders. It works, but it’s inherently less efficient than gasoline, often leaving LPG cars a step behind in performance and refinement. Horse’s solution? A purpose-built direct-injection system for LPG, complete with an electronic vaporizer for precision compression control and reinforced components to withstand the new pressures. This isn’t just an adaptation—it’s a ground-up rethink of how LPG can work in a modern engine.
And the payoff is real: when running on LPG, CO2 emissions drop by about 9 percent compared to gasoline. Pair that with the hybrid system’s ability to shave fuel use and smooth acceleration, and you’ve got a genuinely modern, low-emission combustion engine that doesn’t feel like a compromise.
Packaging has also been smartly handled. The LPG tank nestles neatly into the spare tire compartment, leaving interior space untouched. That makes the HR12 a realistic option for mainstream vehicles, not just niche eco-specials. And with production capacity of up to 450,000 units a year at Horse’s Mioveni plant in Romania, this isn’t some boutique project. It’s scale.
Patrice Haettel, Horse’s CEO, is understandably bullish: “Direct-injection technology for LPG fuel makes it a true world-first for Horse Technologies and is further evidence of our global technology leadership as alternative fuels experts.” He’s not overselling it, either. Right now, no other carmaker offers an LPG engine with direct injection at this scale.
It’s rare to see three innovations converge in one combustion engine—direct LPG injection, mild-hybrid assist, and high-volume production. Together, they push LPG into new territory: precise combustion, stronger performance, and cleaner emissions, all without requiring exotic fuels or huge infrastructure shifts.
As the industry sprints toward electrification, the HR12 LPG is a reminder that there’s still room for clever combustion. It may not make headlines like a 1,000-hp EV hypercar, but this Romanian-built three-cylinder could quietly prove that alternative fuels still have a meaningful place in the transition.
Source: Horse Technologies; Photos: Newspress