EV Charging: Bosch abolishes charge control unit

EV charging has never been so easy and new flexible intelligent charging cable by Bosch with built-in control and safety technology removes the usual bulky cable control box—when used in a 230-volt outlet.

This means that the flexible charging cable, which was unveiled at the international exhibition IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich, weighs less than three kilograms.

Read more: Bosch creates a smart ecosystem for e bikes

The new Bosch cable does not need the control unit and weighs up to 40% less than conventional charging cables. It provides reliable monitoring of charging power and temperature thanks to integrated control and safety technology. Also, whether at home or on the road, type 2 adapters and household plugs mean that a second charging cable is no longer required.

On average, this means 40 percent less than conventional charging cables with a control box. The high-tech cable saves not only weight, but also space in the trunk. Because it comes with Type 2 adapters and household plugs, drivers who want to choose whether to charge from a home outlet or from a charging station on the road no longer need to have a second cable.

In fact, recharging electric cars has never been so simple. “With this universal charging cable, Bosch makes electrification even more customer-friendly,” says Dr Uwe Gackstatter, chairman of Bosch Powertrain Solutions. “We want to build the new standard cable equipment for electric vehicles.” Bosch expects to start selling the cable to manufacturers and drivers of vehicles in mid-2022.

The three-phase cable allows the so-called charging mode of 2 and 3 AC up to 22 kilowatts. With the flexible smart charging cable, there is no need for a control box when recharging at home. That is what customers want.

In Europe, 84 percent of electric car drivers recharge their vehicle at home in the evening or during the night (source: newmotion EV Driver Survey 2020). The built-in technology in each of the plugs makes the recharging process safe and reliable.

The type 2 connector at the end of the vehicle cable contains the data for checking and monitoring the charging power. At the other end, the household plug with an adapter has temperature control and a household current control device.

This ensures that no overload or overheating will occur even during regular recharging at a domestic outlet with a charging power of up to 3 kilowatts. In case it is necessary, the safety technology turns off the cable before the situation becomes critical.

• Smart solar charging station equipped with 3rd Gen photovoltaics

To be able to integrate control and safety technology into solid cable connectors, Bosch developers have significantly reduced the size of electronic components compared to previous applications in control boxes.

Here, they benefited from the “miniature” know-how that is constantly developing within the company. “The flexible smart charging cable is a great example of how Bosch uses cutting-edge technology to make everyday life easier, while helping electrification achieve wider acceptance,” says Gackstatter.

Trending

Classic Ferrari Testarossa acquired a Tesla engine – Video

In addition, the new cable was developed in a very short time: the team of the research and development department managed to bring the new charging cable to a maturation phase on the market in just 18 months.

source