• Bosch has already delivered 500,000 starters for the start/stop application
• In addition to BMW and MINI, three further manufacturers plan to introduce Bosch start/stop technology within the next few months
• Significant reduction in fuel consumption and CO2 emissions in urban and stop-and-go traffic

Bosch start/stop technology has proven its worth in production applications, supplying half a million starter-based start stop systems to BMW and MINI since the introduction in 2007. Three further vehicle manufacturers have decided to use this cost-effective and efficient Bosch technology, and are planning a roll-out within the next few months. Vehicles equipped with this technology consume considerably less fuel, especially in urban traffic, and thereby emit less CO2.

Start/stop systems switch off the engine if the vehicle is stationary – for example in traffic jams or at red traffic lights. Depending on the vehicle, start/stop systems save up to five percent fuel in the New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) and produce correspondingly less CO2. In the urban part of the NEDC, the reduction in consumption and emissions can be as much as eight percent. Bosch has considerably increased the specified number of engine starts of the start/stop starter and – as a consequence – increased its service life compared with a conventional starter. The more powerful electric starter motor features enhanced engagement components guarantee safe, fast, and quiet operation and increased engine starts. In addition to this extended functional range, the starter is compact and remains very easy to integrate in the vehicle. Unlike other technologies, this approach is also suitable for cold starts in diesel engines.

The start/stop systems from Bosch draw on the expertise of the company’s starter technology, drivetrain, and energy management fields. To this day, Bosch has sold more than 300 million conventional starters worldwide and as the system approach is based largely on existing components, an excellent cost-benefit ratio is a further argument in this Bosch technology’s favour. The system as a whole includes control software which can be integrated in the respective engine control unit, a crankshaft sensor with evaluation electronics, and a battery sensor. The battery sensor calculates the current battery charge level and relays this information to the system’s energy management. For reliable start/stop operation, Bosch also supplies alternators with a higher level of efficiency ensuring that the battery always has sufficient energy stored for start/stop operations.

Bosch media enquiries:
Chris Wakley / Dave Eden
Automotive PR
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7494 8050
Email: cwakley@automotivepr.com / deden@automotivepr.com

Bosch OE enquiries:
Nik Armistead
Robert Bosch Limited
Tel: +44 (0) 1895 838545
Email: nik.armistead@uk.bosch.com

About Bosch
The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. In the areas of automotive and industrial technology, consumer goods, and building technology, some 271,000 associates generated sales of 46.3 billion euros in fiscal 2007. The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its more than 300 subsidiaries and regional companies in roughly 50 countries. This worldwide development, manufacturing, and sales network is the foundation for further growth. Each year, Bosch spends more than 3 billion euros for research and development, and applies for over 3,000 patents worldwide. The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.”

The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant up-front investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust. The remaining shares are held by the Bosch family and by Robert Bosch GmbH.

Additional information can be accessed at www.bosch.com.