Bosch and Samsung SDI to co-develop automotive li-ion batteries

Samsung SDI and Robert Bosch have entered into a JV for developing, manufacturing and marketing lithium-ion batteries for hybrid cars. To be based in Korea, the 50/50 JV company – SB LiMotive – will be operational by September this year.

SB LiMotive will make batteries for pure EVs as well as petrol-electric hybrids. Samsung SDI, a division of the Korean consumer electronics giant, is leading manufacturer of batteries for laptop computers, power tools and mobile phones. The Bosch Group is a leading automotive supplier and has tremendous expertise in a vast range of areas, including automotive electronics and systems, battery management, electric motors, and transmissions.

SB LiMotive will start production of its batteries by early-2010, and both partners plan to invest at least US$500 million in the company over the next four to five years.

Bosch improves its ESP unit for added safety

Bosch's new and improved ESP system will mean added safety during hard braking on wet roads and/or sudden, emergency maneouvres at high speed

Bosch recently started production of a new version of its ESP brake control system which integrates sensors for yaw-rate measurement and lateral acceleration in the electronic control unit. This integration is a world first.

In the past, these sensors were installed separately in the interior of the vehicle, within a common housing and connected via the wiring harness to the ESP electronic control unit. ‘Integration significantly reduces both the space requirement in the vehicle and assembly work of car makers for the complete ESP system,’ explains Klaus Meder, Executive Vice President of the Bosch Chassis Systems Control division.

‘This means we have made a significant step toward achieving the objective of installing ESP in all cars,’ says Meder. The first series application of the new technology will be in the new SEAT Ibiza.

The electronic control unit for the ESP has been located in the engine compartment for several years now, it is connected directly to the brake control system's hydraulic modulator. In order to integrate the sensors in the control unit, engineers had to overcome several technical challenges. For example, they had to adapt the sensors to cope with considerably higher ambient temperatures. They also had to control the vibrations that occur when the brake control system intervenes from distorting the sensor output signals.

The result of the above was a vibration-reduced and balance-optimized, three-point installation of the hydraulic unit. This installation also ensures that driving on very poor roads will have no influence at all on the ESP function.

Another challenge was the orientation of the lateral-acceleration sensor. The sensor module, to date installed separately in the interior, must be placed precisely at right angles to the direction of travel. Due to the restricted space available, such a requirement for the installation of the unit in the engine compartment makes installation difficult.

Bosch engineers have integrated two acceleration sensors in the sensor element which measure precisely at right angles to each other. As a result, the hydraulic modulator, which must still be installed horizontally, can be positioned around its vertical axis as desired. The vehicle's lateral acceleration so can be calculated precisely, based on the known installation location and the signals from both acceleration sensors.

The sensor information now also enables measurement of the vehicle's longitudinal acceleration. For example, this value can be used for hill starts, known as ‘Hill Hold Control’ and when employed in vehicles with automatic transmissions, losses can be reduced in the torque converter, thus saving fuel.

Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems: New JV for exhaust gas turbochargers approved

German companies Robert Bosch GmbH and MAHLE GmbH have founded a 50/50 joint venture for the development, production, and sale of exhaust gas turbochargers. The European anti-trust authorities have approved the founding of the joint venture. ‘Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems GmbH & Co. KG’ will commence business on the 2nd of June 2008.

The company's head office in Stuttgart will house the development, administration, and sales activities. Initially, around 100 employees will work here, with half drawn from each of the parent companies. Series production of exhaust gas turbochargers will begin in 2011 at existing locations in St. Michael ob Bleiburg, Austria, and Blaichach/Immenstadt, Germany.

Up to 500 employees will manufacture major parts and components of a high quality and assemble exhaust gas turbochargers. These will be used in passenger cars and light commercial vehicles, in both petrol and diesel engines.

Dr. Martin Knopf and Dr. Andreas Prang have been appointed managing directors of the new company. ‘We are convinced that Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems will position itself as a preferred partner of international automobile manufacturers for the development and production of exhaust gas turbochargers. Concrete interest has already been shown during numerous discussions with customers,’ says Prang, responsible for production, purchasing, and quality management.

‘Now that exhaust gas turbochargers have been successfully used primarily in diesel engines, they will be used increasingly in petrol engines in the future, in combination with direct gasoline injection for downsizing concepts. This will allow smaller engines to achieve better efficiency with comparable power output,’ explains Knopf, who is responsible for development, sales, and finances.

Bosch Mahle Turbo Systems regards the exhaust gas turbocharger as one of the key technologies for the sustainable reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Bosch and MAHLE are firmly established in the field of automotive powertrains. The two companies complement each other ideally as regards their systems and component know-how as partners in the development and production of new exhaust gas turbochargers.

Bosch bets big on parallel hybrid systems which cut CO2

Hybrid drives for automotive applications, combining the internal combustion engine with an electric motor, offer significant potential for reducing both fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Bosch is currently working on the development of a parallel hybrid system, with modular components which can be customized to meet individual OEM requirements and, due to the make-up of the system can also be combined with different transmission types. Bosch already has its first orders for both gasoline and diesel hybrids.

Diesel hybrids produce 20 percent less CO2 than conventional diesel engines, while the emissions for petrol hybrids are up to 25 percent less than their conventional counterparts. Coupled with technologies such as gasoline direct injection and optimised transmission systems, hybrid systems can offer further improvements to fuel consumption and emissions.

The electric drive of the Bosch parallel hybrid system generates enough power to allow a vehicle to cover short distances using solely electrical power, therefore reducing CO2 emissions completely. It also acts as a powerful boost for the internal combustion engine – a significant benefit for urban driving.

Alongside this parallel system, Bosch is also developing several further hybrid concepts as well as a number of simpler methods to allow notable CO2 reductions such as innovative start-stop techniques and the recovery of braking energy via the alternator.

Bosch predicts that by 2015, the hybrid market will be split 50:50 between parallel hybrid systems, the main focus of Bosch hybrid development, and distributed hybrids. The potential growth markets for hybrid drives include the NAFTA countries – Canada, the United States and Mexico – and Japan, as efforts are made by these countries to further reduce emission levels. Bosch believes that, by 2015, hybrid vehicles will account for nine per cent in Japan and four per cent of production in the NAFTA countries. Forecasts for Europe are comparatively low, with hybrid production accounting for only one per cent.

Over 30 years of expertise in electric drives
Bosch has been working on hybrid technologies for over 30 years and has a wealth of experience at its disposal – including extensive knowledge in battery, electric drive, and brake management as well as engine management and transmission control. In addition, the company already has a wide range of components that can be used in both parallel and distributed hybrid systems, including powerful electric motors, the necessary power electronics, and DC/DC converters.

The introduction of hybrid drives will also result in the use of electric auxiliary systems where, again, Bosch already has the appropriate products available, such as electric water pumps. A cooperation agreement with transmission manufacturer Getrag for the development and marketing of parallel hybrid systems in conjunction with dual clutch transmissions and electric final-drive units rounds off the portfolio.

"Our broad-based footing gives us the expertise required for complete system integration of hybrid drives," says Dr. Matthias Küsell, head of the hybrid project program in Bosch's Gasoline Systems division. The "Bosch Hybrid Systems Project Unit" has assumed this task. Midway through 2007, it employed over 250 people involved in hybrid drive development and sales.

Bosch: Flexible injection technology for alternative fuels to help conserve resources

When Mumbai is finally ready to move beyond Premier Padmini taxis, Bosch's fuel management systems for alternative fuels will come in handy!

Bosch has started series production of a number of engine management systems and injection components for alternative fuels. Natural gas, ethanol and synthetic plant-based biodiesel are becoming increasingly important as alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and the components being developed are the key to mobility that conserves resources and is environmentally friendly. With CNG and LPG already widely used in India, Bosch's technology developments in this space could have a very significant impact in the country.

Compressed natural gas (CNG) engines produce 25 per cent less CO2 than comparable gasoline engines and Bosch expects to supply more than 100,000 CNG systems worldwide by 2008. However, while natural gas powered vehicles are becoming more popular across Europe the network of filling stations across the continent is not yet dense enough to support fuelled vehicles using CNG alone. The Bosch NG-Motronic flexible engine management system and natural gas injection valves enable the engine to run on either petrol or CNG, automatically switching between fuels when necessary.

Through running internal combustion engines in a way that conserves resources, biofuels can reduce CO2 emissions even further. A reduction of up to 70 per cent in CO2 emissions has already been achieved using the first-generation biofuels – produced using only the oil-bearing seeds of plants. This impressive figure is predicted to increase to nearer 90 per cent using second-generation biofuels and biogas, which could eventually replace natural gas. In contrast to first-generation, second-generation biofuels are produced by processing the entire plant to make ethanol, synthetic biodiesel or biogas.

In addition to reducing CO2 emissions in new vehicles fitted with appropriately modified technology, the newly developed biofuels can also be used in existing vehicles, with biodiesel being increasingly added to conventional diesel across Europe. Bosch is also working on developing injection systems for use with future biofuels allowing an automotive drivetrain that uses renewable energies as well as the existing infrastructure and technology.

Vehicles in Brazil are already running on biofuels - bioethanol - in the form of E24 (petrol with an ethanol content of 24 per cent) and E100 (pure ethanol). The Flex-Fuel engine management system from Bosch has been developed specifically for this market, to automatically adapt ignition and injection patterns precisely to the fuel mixture being used at any given time.

As low temperatures can degrade the chemical properties of ethanol, Bosch has also developed the Flex-Start system ensuring cold starts and drivability are not impaired. The fuel is warmed in a temperature controlled fuel rail, allowing the Flex-Fuel technology to function effectively in all climatic conditions.

Bosch Ltd. registers 12pc growth in Q1, 2008

Bosch Limited, the flagship company of the Bosch Group in India, has registered a growth of 12% for the quarter Jan-March 2008, despite a slowdown in auto sector. The company generated net sales of Rs 12,015 million in Q1 2008 Jan - March, registering a growth of 12.3% over Jan-March, 2007. But the PBT was down 9.8% at Rs 2,315 million in Q1, 2008, compared to Rs 2,566 million in Q1, 2007. The PAT stood at Rs 1,617 million, down 12% compared to Q1, 2007.

The EPS has also come down. For the Q1, 2008, it stood at Rs 50.5 per share, compared to Rs 57.3 per share in Q1, 2007. Bosch Ltd. has termed these results as below expectations, but hopes that as a result of Union budget measures for certain sectors of the auto industry, the Indian automotive market will pick up in the coming quarters, leading to better performance for the company.

About Bosch in India:

In India, Bosch is a leading supplier of technology and services in the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods and building technology. Additionally, Bosch also has in India, the largest development centre outside Germany, for end to end engineering and technology solutions.

The Bosch Group operates in India through four companies, viz, Bosch Limited, Bosch Chassis Systems India Limited, Bosch Rexroth India Limited and Robert Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions Limited. Bosch Limited is the flagship company of Bosch Group in India and operates in Automotive Technology, Industrial Technology and Consumer goods & Building Technology business sectors.

In India, Bosch set up its manufacturing operation in 1953, which has grown over the years to 11 manufacturing sites and four development centres employing some 18,000 associates and generating a consolidated revenue of over Rs 5,700 crore in 2007.