Industry News
Bosch sets up lithium-ion battery development unit
12th May 2008
Bosch has set up a second project unit in addition to its hybrid powertrain unit, which will develop high-performance lithium-ion batteries, and focus the company’s efforts on further developing the core competence it needs for the increased use of electrical motors in drive systems.
The energy-saving element of these two units typifies a trend in Bosch’s R&D effort. “In the Bosch Group, more than 40% of our research and development budget now goes into products that conserve resources and protect the environment. In 2007 alone, this was a good 1.5 billion euros,” CEO Franz Fehrenbach said in a release issued late last week.
“Going beyond energy efficiency, greater effort is to be invested in harnessing and utilizing renewable energies. Sales generated with these systems will grow at a double-digit rate to more than 750 million euros in 2008 – and are expected to exceed 1.2 billion euros in 2010.
“But in the 21st century we shall only be able to meet our ambitious targets for carbon dioxide reduction if we have enough specialists. Not enough thought is devoted to this subject, let alone action,” Fehrenbach said. “Education has hardly ever been as important as it is now, in the age of globalization. Competition for the best people is increasing every single day.”
This was, he said, why Bosch was involved in diverse ways in the area of education. In addition, the company took on 5,500 university graduates worldwide in 2007.
- Sanyo Electric Co. and Volkswagen are studying a plan to jointly develop lithium-ion batteries, Sanyo officials said Sunday, 11th May. The plan has not yet been the subject of a Sanyo news release. The two companies reportedly hope to make the batteries commercially viable by around 2012.
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