Bosch starts production of 800V EV technology ...

Bosch is starting volume production of new 800V powertrain systems for electric vehicles at its plant in Hildesheim, Germany.

The oil-cooled i-pin bar motor technology, coupled with silicon carbide (SiC) power devices, provides up to 35 percent more power density for the electric motor.

The increased efficiency also means half the heat losses, reducing weight and allows for a more compact design. A premium German automaker is now using the active parts of the powertrain, i.e. the rotor and stator, for the first time.

With the same current, but double the voltage, twice as much power can now be transmitted. This modification allows for thinner cables, which saves on space, weight, and copper. As a result, the inverter is more compact and powerful. With a 400-volt onboard network, the maximum charge power at charge spots that are powerful enough is 250 kilowatts. With 800 volts, twice this is possible in theory.

The 800V electric motor now going into volume production has 830 Nm torque and 460 kilowatts output. Thanks to the use of I-pin bar winding, the motor’s efficiency, compactness, and level of automation in production can be further improved.

In terms of power-to-weight ratio, this delivers 35 percent more power density, at 60 kilowatts per kilogram. On top of this, it offers a torque density of 105 Newton meters per kilogram. This means that the Bosch motor achieves a maximum efficiency of up to 98 percent. The next generation of the electric motor will feature oil cooling. This will allow the heat generated in the electric motor to be drawn away better, and ensure continuously powerful operation over long distances, as well as in commercial vehicles.

The SiC chips have even more energy-saving potential to offer: for example, they increase the inverters’ efficiency to as much as 99 percent.

“Bosch is upping the voltage in electromobility. Our 800-volt technology is the next step toward more powerful electrical powertrains and shorter recharging times,” says Ralf Schmid, the executive vice president responsible for electrification in Bosch’s Powertrain Solutions division.

Bosch has now manufactured more than 3.5 million electric motors and the same number of inverters.

www.bosch.com