EICMA 2023: Bosch sets course for the future with software solutions and new powertrain systems

Milan, Italy – Digital, connected, electrified: the world of mobility is changing, and the motorcycle along with it. Having already made motorcycling safer with its motorcycle stability control (MSC), Bosch has a number of further technological innovations up its sleeve. With innovative rider-assistance and powertrain systems as well as new electrification and smart connectivity solutions, Bosch remains in the fast lane of the two-wheeler segment.

Above all, the company has the potential to perform well with software solutions, which are also gaining in importance in the motorcycle market.

The two-wheeler world is undergoing fundamental changes, and Bosch is making motorcycles fit for the future. Bosch knows its way around software and electromobility – and is bringing this knowledge to bear in the motorcycle world.

said Geoff Liersch, head of Two-Wheeler & Powersports at Bosch, at the EICMA 2023 motorcycle show in Milan.

Demand for Bosch solutions for motorcycles and powersports vehicles is on the rise, and so are the business figures: from 2019 to 2023, Bosch Two-Wheeler & Powersports sales grew by an average of 8 percent, despite a volatile economic environment. Average growth in the global motorcycle market over the same period was just 1-2 percent. Bosch now has a total of some 500 associates worldwide working on cutting-edge ideas and solutions for the motorcycles, quads, and snowmobiles of today and tomorrow – a threefold increase since 2016. At the same time, the team has access to Bosch Mobility’s network of developers and engineers. “Bosch is a key innovation driver in the two-wheeler market. We offer our customers everything from individual components to complete systems solutions. This makes us successful from both a technological and a business perspective,” Liersch says.

Bosch technology combines riding enjoyment and technological progress

Increasingly standard in the automotive sector, functions on demand are also gaining ground in two-wheelers. Here, Bosch continues to build on its core competencies: developing solutions that combine technological progress and riding enjoyment. Bosch software solutions mean that motorcyclists can install new functions even after purchasing their vehicle. “Depending on the manufacturer, updates will give future customers the chance to subsequently add features, giving them a personalized riding experience over vehicle lifetime,” Liersch said. “Thanks to our comprehensive systems expertise, we can design these updates for all major vehicle functions.” Special or advanced riding modes for the racetrack or off-road use, as well as convenience functions for the next long trip, can thus be added on demand. This is done easily via the rider’s own smartphone: the new functions are downloaded over the vehicle manufacturer’s app and then applied to the motorcycle.

For manufacturers, this solution also lends itself to electric two-wheelers. For example, the throttle for different speeds can be set or removed, depending on country requirements or driver’s license class. With the same functional architecture, Bosch enables software updates over-the-air. These can be downloaded from the cloud via an app on the rider’s own smartphone and uploaded to the motorcycle or powersports vehicle – for example, to perform any relevant updates or improve vehicle functions. This increases safety and convenience, while at the same time helping manufacturers to serve the market faster and drive innovation more easily.

Bosch introduces new electric drive with 6 kilowatts of power

Software is not the only area where Bosch is making progress. On the hardware level, the company is focusing on new developments for efficient engine management for internal combustion engines while also working on solutions for electric powertrains. By 2026, Bosch aims to generate group-wide electromobility sales of 6 billion euros – a trend that is also gaining momentum in the Two-Wheeler & Powersports business unit. “Especially in Asian countries, where the two-wheeler is often the backbone of mobility, electrification can help bring about huge improvements in local air quality and quality of life,” Liersch said. While the focus so far has been on the smaller performance classes of electric drive systems up to 3 kilowatts, Bosch is now breaking new ground. Its integrated 6 kW electric drive combines driving enjoyment with everyday utility. Its performance figures make the new motor ideal for vehicle architectures such as large scooters or classic motorcycles both in urban environments and for cross-country trips. As Liersch pointed out: “With production starting in 2025, the new Bosch 6 kW motor will enable manufacturers to electrify two-wheeler segments that have so far tended to feature combustion-engine technology. In this way, we’re meeting not only demands for everyday mobility needs in cities, but also the desire for riding enjoyment outside urban centers.”

The 2-in-1 solution from Bosch offers an integrated motor management concept with vehicle control and inverter. Known as the one-box solution, its compact design frees up storage space in the vehicle for the battery – in a similar way to the Bosch e-axle for passenger cars. In addition, the motor has a passive cooling concept: the drive is cooled by the airstream instead of a complex water-cooling system. Manufacturers who opt for the new Bosch electric motor can thus save on system costs.

Bosch at the EICMA 2023