Exclusive: Bosch 'eAxle' Electric Car Prototype First Drive

We keep hearing electric cars are the future. But while we wait in vain for real-world mass application solutions, it would seem Bosch has an intelligent idea to retrofit even existing cars to go green. Whether it is Tesla or the Volkswagen Group or Mercedes-Benz globally, or Tata Motors and Mahindra in India - all are striving towards cleaner mobility solutions. And they too are relying on a lot of the innovation happening - not in their own labs, but at the supplier end with component makers stepping up their game. Enter Bosch.

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

While EVs that come as EVs from the factory are a thing of the present, Bosch tried to answer is a more prudent question and one that could bring about real change in the way the world moves. What if we could find a solution to retrofit current internal combustion engine cars to an electric powertrain. And what if we could make all that new technology fit exactly where the current powertrain sat? And that is exactly what the boffins at Bosch India in Bangalore have done with this electric vehicle conversion you see here. What started out as a regular petrol powered Maruti Suzuki Baleno, now has its fuel drinking guts ripped out of it, to be replaced by an electric motor.

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

At its R&D facility in Bangalore Bosch has been working on something it calls an eAxle setup. Basically a combination of the electric machine or the motor itself, the electronics that control everything and an actual gearbox that transfers power from the motor to the driveshafts - all in one compact packaging. And to power all of this, a simple 10 kWh battery has been fitted in the boot. Of course, 10 kWh isn't enough to power most cars in general if you want a decent range, but in this case, considering the fact that this is a prototype, it does just fine.

Talking about the installation process, Dattatreya Gaur, Head of Mobility Solutions, Bosch India said, "Fitting in was not that difficult, throw in an engine and fitting in mechanical fitments was not difficult. What's was interesting was how to calibrate that car and do parametization, that every system is working in safe way, in the desired way, also honours the safety systems of the car. So it is not very difficult task, it is do able."

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

So here are the specs. The electric motor makes a healthy 115 bhp of peak power and about 200 Nm of torque. That essentially means that it is more powerful than the petrol, diesel or the RS models of the donor car. This motor can propel the car from 0-100 in just 8 seconds making it faster than the Baleno in all its forms too. And that is after the fact that this car is considerably heavier than the stock car that came out of the factory once upon a time. The 5-speed manual gearbox too has been thrown out, changed instead by an electronic control unit that offers the user three options, park, drive and reverse.

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

Of course, Bosch has had to make some changes to the way the car actually functions, including the brakes and the power steering. Both these systems run via pressure created from the engine (indirectly) and an auxiliary hydraulic pump has now been fitted to compensate. The car also does not have air conditioning, again something that can be fitted on if need be. The car has also been fitted with Bosch's own infotainment setup that not only offers a touchscreen to play your media but also offers real time diagnostics, systems monitoring and over the air updates too.

Talking about all the systems of the car working in synergy with the electric motor, R.K.Shenoy, Senior Vice President, Embedded Solutions, Bosch India said, "Definitely the benefit is that we have a complete knowledge of what's happening in the car, and bringing a lot of data from that into the unit itself. It's not just about showing navigation or about connectivity. So it's about using the information in the car, coming from example: engine manangement or braking, or within electrification or hybrid. All this information can be effectively used for the working of the car itself."

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

So, how does it drive? Well, we had Bosch's test track all to ourselves for a whole afternoon and after I acquainted the electric car with my heavy right foot, I must say I came out rather impressed. Firstly by the fact that a conversion like this did not feel like it was done in a hurry and felt like it was engineered correctly and could actually work in the mass market as a mobility solution too! And second because of course, I personally like how electric cars drive, with its instant torque and fast acceleration.

(Bosch eAxle Electric car Prototype)

So would this work in the real world?? Well, yes. Will it be a reality in the next few months? Of course not. But what Bosch has demonstrated is truly something to ponder about. Imagine this. You take your regular car into an authorised conversion centre that in a matter of a day or so change your regular petrol powered motor to a clean and green - in terms of tailpipe emissions - electric vehicle. And imagine buying this whole kit off an ecommerce website like Amazon and have it delivered directly to your house or to the workshop where the conversion can happen. We truly think this would be a phenomenal idea and one that should genuinely be explored by the likes of component makers like Bosch and others and there most certainly is a valid business case for it.