Bosch is investing in energy density – going for 50 kWh battery packs weighing only 190 kg

This year electronics and auto parts giant Bosch has been heavily investing the auto industry’s transition to electric powertrain. Earlier this summer, Bosch bought the solid-state battery start-up Seeo Inc. and has since been sparsely revealing details about its plan to bring new battery technologies to market by 2020.

During the company’s recent inauguration of its Renningen research campus, head of battery technology R&D Dr. Thorsten Ochs revealed more information about the company’s goals for Seeo’s solid-state battery. The Germany-based part maker is aiming for a 50 kWh pack to weight only 190 kg.The company plans to invest 400 million euros ($450 million US) annually in electric vehicle technology to achieve their goals. Bosch expects about 15 percent of all new vehicles worldwide in 10 years to have an electrical powertrain and that mid-sized vehicles should have 50 kWh of usable energy.

Aside from Tesla’s, most production electric vehicles today are equipped with 20 to 30 kWh battery packs.Of course it’s not enough to increase the energy density to reduce the weight, the company is also aiming at bringing the cost down and allowing for quick charging.

“Our new batteries should be capable of being loaded to 75 percent in less than 15 minutes,” Ochs says.

Bosch expects to have a commercially available version of its recently acquired solid-state battery technology within 5 years.