Bosch is struggling to make electric cars affordable despite its efforts to simplify the technology. Mass production remains a challenge, and batteries continue to add to costs.
Bosch is struggling to make electric cars affordable despite a push to simplify drivetrains. Unlike Chinese automakers, Bosch is struggling to adopt standardized mass production due to the demands of Western manufacturers. Batteries remain a cost, and despite optimizing components, the dream of an electric car accessible to all is still a long way off. Consumers must be patient with high prices.
A luxury inaccessible to many
At Bosch, we ask ourselves a question: How to make electric cars more affordable? According to Mathias Pillin, Chief Technology Officer at Bosch, The solution is to simplify transmission systemsElectric cars remain too expensive for many consumers, even though Chinese manufacturers have managed to reduce manufacturing costs by 30% through standardized mass production. Bosch is struggling to keep up with China’s demand for specific parts from Western automakers. Indeed, Pillin explains that the key to reducing prices is to produce components on a large scale. But the Western auto industry is not as standardized as China’s. Then, adapting production lines to mass manufacture requires heavy investments and presents financial risks: here we have to weigh the pros and cons, which can delay this possible price drop. It is clear that Bosch’s ambition to make EVs affordable is still far from being realized, and consumers will have to wait.
The battery: the main culprit
Another important cost factor is the battery. Pillin admits in the columns ofAutomotive News Europe that the quantity of battery used largely determines the price of the vehicle. Bosch does not manufacture batteries and therefore focuses on optimizing the other components as much as possible. In addition, Bosch also invests in conventional combustion engines, electrical components and hydrogen propulsion: this diversity is certainly a strength, but it adds costs.. And these costs bother consumers who don’t want more but less! In fact, Bosch has to juggle between meeting market demands and reducing the prices of EVs to make them more accessible, something that, as we can see, is really not easy. On the other hand, the road to truly accessible EVs is still long, in the meantime, it is consumers who pay the price of this transition. Manufacturers have made promises, but we will have to wait. The electric car of the “people” is not for now.
Source: www.autoplus.fr
