Bosch gets DOE funding for flex-fuel vehicle

The American division of German auto parts maker Robert Bosch said today that it received funding from the U.S. Department of Energy to work on a flex-fuel vehicle.

Bosch is partnering with the U.S. unit of British automotive engineering consultant Ricardo, as well as the University of Michigan on the $1.5 million, three-year project.

Bosch said the target flex-fuel vehicle will be capable of running on any blend of ethanol, up to E-85, with fuel economy close to a conventional gasoline-fueled vehicle.

"Ethanol-based fuels are a reliable and renewable energy source that are especially well-suited for the transportation industry," said Sujit Jain, Sr. VP of Powertrain, Gasoline and Transmission Systems at Bosch.

The company said the vehicle will be expected to meet U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and ultra low emissions vehicle regulations.

Together with Bosch, the University of Michigan will develop the methodology needed to swiftly estimate the ethanol content of a gasoline-ethanol fuel blend and optimize the engine combustion.

"The overall goal is to develop flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on any blend of ethanol from zero to 85 percent, with minimal or no penalty in usable vehicle range," said University of Michigan mechanical engineering professor Anna Stefanopoulou.

Bosch, with roughly 300 subsidiary and regional companies in over 50 countries, was set up in Stuttgart in 1886. Ninety-two percent of the share capital of the company is held by a charitable foundation.

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