There is strong demand from automotive manufacturers across the globe for Bosch’s new 48-volt battery for hybrids, which has been standardised for easy integration into new vehicle models, enabling established manufacturers and start-ups alike to eliminate long and expensive development processes.

Rolf Bulander, chairman of Bosch Mobility Solutions (www.bosch.com), said: “Bosch is an incubator of electromobility. We help manufacturers reduce their development times and launch their products faster.

"This lithium-ion battery will benefit not only compact cars, but also mini- and micro-cars. Production is scheduled to start in late 2018.”

The company estimates that some 15 million 48V hybrid vehicles will be on the road by 2025.

Bosch says that the battery’s design will be key to its success; it does not require active cooling and its housing is made of plastic, not metal — both factors that minimise cost.

That said, the plastic housing presents a real challenge; it must withstand a certain amount of stress, because lithium-ion cells expand when the battery is being charged — as well as over the course of its service life.

Bosch engineers re-arranged the cells in the 48V battery so that the plastic housing can handle the pressure.

Bosch says that with its new battery, it will play a key role in making the 48V hybrid affordable for the mass market — not only in China but also in Japan and Europe.