Bosch aims to be leader in hybrid technology
Robert Bosch CEO Bernd Bohr says the company wants to be the world’s leading supplier of hybrid technology, and has increased its hybrid technology engineering staff to a total of 400, up from just 100 a few years ago.
According to Bohr, the number one position is quite possible for Bosch because Japanese automotive suppliers have been focusing on providing components for hybrid systems rather than complete systems. Japanese automakers integrate these components into systems they have designed in-house.
Bosch will also start producing lithium ion battery cells through a partnership to be announced later this year to reduce warranty issues and as a synergy for its hybrid technology development plans.
May 13, 2008 @ 6:55 am
Is Malaysian vendor have anything with bosch. This will be good in near future if it is so.
May 13, 2008 @ 8:59 am
While hybrid may be the in thing, I think in the near future “green automotive” will polarize.
One end, biodiesel vehicles, the other full electric (either powered by batteries or fuel cell).
Hybrids just seen neither here nor there. You have the compromize to carry a heavy engine AND a heavy pack of batteries (and a heavy tank of fuel). That is hell on efficiency. Internal combustion engines are poor energy convertors (even the atkinson cycle on the Prius is only barely better than a diesel) , and then you have associated energy losses converting that energy to electicity and another loss to charge the batteries and drive the motors.
I would bet a good small biodiesel running TDI would do better.
May 13, 2008 @ 7:32 pm
I can imagine if Bosch does become world leader, then there is a faulty Bosch part, imagine the number of vehicle recalls there will be…
May 13, 2008 @ 8:36 pm
diesel and hydrogen is the future , not hybrid.
May 14, 2008 @ 10:35 pm
I think it’s something as give and take condition. If u sacrifice fuel for greener air, u will have to cater something more high tech into doing it. Which is more frequent checks, and high maintenance.
I can’t see any advantages on cars nowadays that running hybrid engines. You only pay less tax during a year, but most of the extra deduction would have go into maintaining the vehicle.
I would rather want to see motorbike with an electric motor. So u do really get those noisy little exhaust pipe on the road.
May 22, 2008 @ 10:41 am
Is Bernd Bohr related to the physicist Neils Bohr .. ?