Pioneers for Nearly Eighty Years

Bosch has been a major player in the automotive battery sector ever since the company began its pioneering work as far back as 1927. Things are very different nowadays from nearly eight decades ago; the addition of electric windows, sunroofs, ABS, air conditioning, other in-car equipment such as DVD players and satellite navigation has resulted in increasing demand on the modern power supply and a reduced battery life. However, continuing investment in research and development ensures that Bosch batteries continue to consistently meet market requirements, with little or no increase in overall size or weight.

Bosch’s technical innovations in Calcium-Silver batteries have resulted in a significant increase in performance, as well as a 20-30 per cent longer service life than a standard battery, says the company. More than half of all vehicles manufactured in Europe today are equipped with Calcium-Silver batteries and, in 2004, 90 per cent of the top 10 diesel cars and 80 per cent of the top 10 class cars sold in the UK, were fitted with Bosch Calcium Silver technology.

Over 15 million Silver units have been sold to date, making it one of the most successful battery ranges ever developed by the company. The Calcium-Silver batteries, which are 100 per cent maintenance free, was awarded the highest rating in a major test of replacement car starter batteries carried out by DEKRA, the international independent automotive service organisation. The new Silver range is not only suited to future developments in OE, but also takes into consideration the needs of the whole of the UK market, and includes a New Bosch Silver to fit older models.

Bosch Absorbent Glass Mat (AGM) batteries are the latest OEM technology for high cycle demand vehicles. Bosch’s new AGM batteries provide 92 per cent of OEM coverage, including both popular marques and niche brands.

Tests for a number of manufacturers, including Audi, BMW and Mercedes, have shown that the life cycle of HighTech AGM batteries is three times longer than other batteries, being able to be recharged up to 300 times. The fully-sealed, non-hazardous Bosch units have up to 10 times higher vibration resistance than conventional power supplies and increased flexibility means they can even be mounted on their side. Only another AGM battery can be used to replace an OE AGM battery.

AGM batteries also suit vehicles with stop/start working patterns, including taxis and emergency vehicles, where battery life is reduced by increased demand.

Finally, the Bosch AsiaSILVER range caters for drivers of Japanese cars and 4x4s, who benefit from superior performance, safety and user convenience over any other suitable batteries available in the UK. The range, which conforms to the Japanese Industry Standard (JIS), comprises 14 part numbers and covers almost all cars, 4x4s and car-derived vans from Far Eastern manufacturers on sale in the UK.