There are over 40 Indian cities with more than a million residents and with mobility requirements of highest priority in urban areas, German engineering firm Bosch believes electrification is a future growth area in India.
The company is ready to offer a portfolio of solutions for the local market.
“Small-vehicle segments will drive the transition to mass electrification, as urban dwellers seek a simple and affordable alternative to conventional standards,” stated Bosch Asia Pacific board member Peter Tyroller while speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on Friday.
He added that “India is a great incubator for an electric future.”
Connecting vehicles with the Internet of Things (IoT) is going to be the key, he said.
As per a study, 1.2 million electric vehicles are projected to populate the Indian market by 2030 in line with the government’s policy of having an all-electric fleet in the country by 2030 as well as the Faster Adoption and Manufacturing of (Hybrid) and Electric Vehicles (FAME) program.
Bosch is looking at an automated, connected and electrified ecosystem with zero local emissions, zero stress and zero accidents.
The company has developed an integrated electrification system including motor, control unit, battery, charger, display and app that can power light two, three and four wheeled electric vehicles.
Based on its localisation strategy, Bosch aims to develop a comprehensive electrification system for India, which takes into account the country’s environmental conditions and powertrain requirements.
The electrification systems from Bosch can easily be integrated with any light vehicle which will help the manufacturers with their go-to-market strategy.
India has the world’s largest two-wheeler market with 70% of vehicles being two wheelers. Last year, 17.7 million two wheelers were sold in India.
Bosch offers the full range of solutions required to meet the needs of the Indian two-wheeler market. Further, the solutions can be made scalable across all performance classes between 0.25-20 kW.
“Investment and infrastructure are the limiting factors in the electromobility space. In the price-sensitive Indian market, battery costs need to come down. We see particular potential for electromobility in India first across the scooter segment,” said Tyroller.
Major advantages of using two wheelers include less maintenance and a noise-free, pollution-free ride.
The aim of switching to electric vehicles is to cut down on CO2 emissions. On average, there are 1.2 people in a car at any given time. Increasing this to 1.3 people per car is expected to minimise CO2 emissions by 20%.
Bosch India will provide end-to-end electrified solutions adapted to the Indian market and offer a wide range of comprehensive solutions for two-wheelers.
Even though the thrust is on electromobility as a long-term solution, internal combustion engines will continue to play a major role and the near future will see a mix of electromobility and combustion engines.
Tyroller said, “Today, the Indian supplier base is fragmented for electromobility solutions. With the current powertrain offerings from Bosch India, the company is aiming to bridge the gap and have the first mover advantage.”
With India’s young urban audience preferring simple and stress-free mobility, electromobility is likely to gain traction in the years to come via fleet operators.
The company is currently in advanced stages of development and plans to move into series production after 2018.
Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. The Bosch Group operates in India through 12 companies and Bosch Limited is the flagship company of the Bosch Group.