The automotive supplier Robert Bosch Fahrzeugelektrik, which has been based in Eisenach since 1992 and produces sensors and other components with 1,800 employees, is now entering series production of the 48-volt battery. In order to do this, 80 million euros are being invested at the site, a hall has already been built, and preparations are currently underway for series production. The novel energy storage system – an essential component of 48-volt hybrid systems in vehicles – has already been developed in Eisenach. According to Bosch, the systems can reduce the fuel consumption and thus also the emission of carbon dioxide of a combustion engine by up to 15 percent. Bosch has already been active in Thuringia for four years as a lead company in this project of the future and supported the launch of the first generation of the 48-volt vehicle battery in China. The Eisenach plant has now prevailed in the race for the European production site, and so the second, more powerful generation will go into series production in the summer of 2021. Several customer orders are already expected for the European market.
Bosch obtains the battery cells required for the 48-volt batteries from the Chinese company CATL, with which a long-term cooperation agreement has been signed. At present, the cells still come from China, and in the future they will come from the CATL plant at Erfurter Kreuz.
According to Bosch, Eisenach was chosen for its geographical location, competitiveness and highly qualified specialists. Comprehensive expertise is available in automated production and production and logistics planning. (maa)
