Boost recuperation system - Bosch’s 48-volt system to make hybrids more affordable and compact

• First generation to be production-ready by 2017
• Cuts fuel consumption by 15 percent and enables 150 Nm boost function
• Uses smaller voltage but delivers four times more power than traditional hybrid system
• Four million vehicles to use this type of system by 2020

Bosch has launched a new 48-volt hybrid system, which will make hybrid powertrains more affordable and compatible in smaller vehicles. The system, which will go into production in 2017 with the next vehicle generation, costs a fraction of the price of today’s hybrid systems. Bosch expects four million new vehicles worldwide to be equipped with this type of hybrid powertrain by 2020.

Like conventional hybrid systems, the 48-volt hybrid system helps to make vehicles significantly more efficient, with 15 percent real-world fuel savings expected.  The electrical powertrain also provides the combustion engine with an additional 150 Nm of support during acceleration

Because the system runs on a significantly lower voltage than conventional 400-volt hybrids, it can be built from less expensive components, making it more affordable. Instead of a large electric motor, a generator uses a belt to support the combustion engine with up to 10kW, as much as four times the power of a conventional system. The power electronics form the link between the additional low-voltage battery and the motor generator. A DC/DC converter supplies the car’s 12-volt on-board network from the 48-volt vehicle electrical system. The newly developed lithium-ion battery is also significantly smaller.

“The boost recuperation system is the hybrid for everyone,” says Dr. Rolf Bulander, member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH and chairman of the Mobility Solutions business sector. “The entry-level hybrid with 48 volts is going to become an attractive option for drivers in Europe, North America, and Asia.  

Second-generation prototype: parking at the press of a button

At the IAA 2015, Bosch will also present a new second generation of the entry-level hybrid that is currently still in development. In the prototype, the more powerful motor generator is connected directly with the powertrain rather than with the combustion engine.

This allows the entry-level hybrid to provide all-electric driving even at low speeds – such as in stop-and-go traffic – in addition to immediate electric support for a short period of time.

The new hybrid makes it possible to include a remote-controlled parking assistant that allows drivers to direct the parking manoeuvre from the curbside. This function will be debuted on a number of premium vehicles at this year’s IAA. The fully automatic parking assistant steers the vehicle into even the tightest parking spaces and garages safely and conveniently, without any stress or hassle.

The assistant uses ultrasonic sensors and is based on the fully automatic parking system found in vehicles with an automatic transmission. Thanks to the built-in electric motor, the system is capable of accelerating by itself and independently shifting between forward and reverse gears. And because the parking process is started by pressing a button on the ignition key, drivers do not even have to be in the vehicle. Bosch has also developed a smartphone app that allows drivers to operate the parking assistant from outside the vehicle.  

Contact person for press inquiries: Rianne Ojeh, phone: 01895 83 8822

Mobility Solutions is the largest Bosch Group business sector. In 2014, its sales came to 33.3 billion euros, or 68 percent of total group sales. This makes the Bosch Group one of the leading automotive suppliers. The Mobility Solutions business sector combines the group’s
expertise in three mobility domains – automation, electrification, and connectivity – and offers its customers integrated mobility solutions. Its main areas of activity are injection technology and powertrain peripherals for internal-combustion engines, diverse solutions for powertrain electrification, vehicle safety systems, driver-assistance and automated functions, technology for user-friendly infotainment as well as vehicle-to-vehicle and vehicle-to-infrastructure communication, repair-shop concepts, and technology and services for the automotive aftermarket. Bosch is synonymous with important automotive innovations, such as electronic engine management, the ESP anti-skid system, and common-rail diesel technology.

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 360,000 associates worldwide (as per April 1, 2015). The company generated sales of 49 billion euros in 2014.* Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including its sales and service partners, Bosch is represented in roughly 150 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. In 2014, Bosch applied for some 4,600 patents worldwide. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to create solutions for a connected life. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.”

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://twitter.com/BoschPresse

*The sales figure disclosed for 2014 does not include the former joint ventures BSH Bosch und Siemens Hausgeräte GmbH (now BSH Hausgeräte GmbH) and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH (now Robert Bosch Automotive Steering GmbH), which have since been taken over completely.