How the world’s largest auto parts supplier is evolving its business for the EV era
I was invited to tour Bosch’s Charleston, South Carolina, facility to see firsthand the evolution of the world’s largest auto parts supplier as the industry transitions to electric vehicles.
Stepping into the facility is like entering Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, but instead of chocolate rivers and little orange people, it’s filled with highly trained, motivated workers and next-generation technology working together in sync.
The company uses industry 4.0 production methods featuring artificial intelligence, precision lasers, robotics, and more to build precise, reliable auto parts at scale.
Bosch’s Charleston facility makes critical components for the auto industry shipping them out to nearly every major automaker, including Tesla, Ford, GM, and one of its latest customers, Rivian.
However, as the President of Bosch in North America, Mike Mansuetti, explains, the auto industry is “rapidly evolving” toward electric vehicles. The auto parts supplier is investing in a sustainable future by introducing new EV products and parts for its customers, bringing the technology to market at scale.
Mr. Manuetti says:
We’ve invested more than $6 billion dollars in electromobility development and
in 2021 our global orders for electromobility surpassed $10 billion dollars for the
first time. Local production helps to advance our customers’ regional
electrification strategies, and further supports the market demand for
electrification.
Bosch announced in January 2020 that it would begin to slow production of its diesel powertrain components to focus on sustainable solutions. A prime example of the rapidly evolving industry, the building is now being used to build electric motors for the Rivian R1T.
Bosch is building its portfolio to power electric vehicles
Bosch began production of the electric motors in October for the Rivian R1T, marking a “new era of electrification” for the global auto parts leader. The manufacturing site covers around 200,000 square feet in the previously used diesel components area.
The electric motor consists of two primary parts – the rotor and the stator. The stator features winded copper bars for superior efficiency and power density. The coils receive energy from alternating current coming via power electronics from the battery.
Meanwhile, the rotor is filled with magnets by the process of transfer molding to promote fewer air pockets. As the current flows into the stator, the rotor’s magnetic field chases that of the stator, generating energy that powers the vehicle’s wheels. The casing then consists of an aluminum A-shed and B-shed that enclose the unit.
The company utilizes high-tech AI-powered machinery and other robotics to reduce its carbon footprint while producing faster, more accurate results.
According to Bosch, its electric motor features 98% efficiency. In addition, the process is scalable, allowing more freedom to customers, delivering anywhere from 50 kW up to 500 kW with a torque range from 150 Nm to 1000 Nm and up to 680 HP.
Since electric vehicle motors differ in size, scope, and material, the new production process came with challenges. Perhaps, more importantly, the shift to electric vehicles is creating a gap in workers to fill these high-tech manufacturing jobs.
Realizing this, Bosch is providing reskilling and upskilling opportunities for its employees while partnering with local schools to ensure there is the talent needed to propel the future of the auto industry.
Investing in electromobility training
As Bosch explained, the transition would not be possible without the workers. To accelerate the process, employees were sent to Bosch’s plants in Germany for training and to learn how they could make the manufacturing process more efficient with automation.
As a result, these are not your typical manufacturing jobs. These are high-tech jobs that involve skills such as software programming and working with automated machines.
If you think about it, when you bring your car in for a checkup, it’s not a toolbox the mechanic brings out anymore. It’s often a laptop designed to pinpoint the issue automatically. Electric vehicles are more sophisticated and therefore require a different skill set to work on.
Vehicle suppliers play an integral role in the US economy, contributing to around 2.5% of GDP. As electric vehicles continue gaining momentum, surpassing gas-powered vehicle sales, the workforce will need to be able to support the transition.
Bosch’s $260 million expansion is expected to create 350 net new jobs by 2025, and this is just the start. To position itself for the future in the auto industry, Bosch is partnering with local schools in Charleston, such as Trident Technical College, to integrate electric vehicle education into the curriculum.
The auto supplier’s corporate foundation, The Bosch Community Fund, has provided $2.5 million in STEM education efforts in the Charleston area since 2013.
Electrek’s Take
With electric vehicles on track to claim 13% of global new car sales in 2022, the rapidly evolving auto industry is establishing a new stream of jobs. What Bosch is doing is taking employees that were previously working on parts for gas-powered cars and training them for the future of the industry.
However, the company is finding that there are major stigmatizations and built-in perceptions around manufacturing jobs that don’t apply anymore.
People will not be interested in what they don’t know. These manufacturing jobs utilize skills that some kids use essentially every day, like video games that require quick thinking and analytical skills.
The issue is that educators are unaware of what future manufacturing jobs will look like, thanks to the electric vehicle revolution. Teachers are not pushing for these jobs because they don’t associate them with the skills that they will be using. Same idea with parents.
To support the new EV era, what needs to happen is a change in perception that gets people interested in the auto industry’s future and putting the US back on track to become a manufacturing powerhouse.
Last year, new electric vehicle jobs soared 26.2%, establishing 21,961 new positions. And this year, the pace has accelerated even further with new climate initiatives and substantial investments from foreign automakers on US soil.
Since the beginning of 2021, companies have invested around $85 billion in manufacturing operations for electric vehicles, batteries, and chargers, all of which require a new set of skilled workers.
The opportunities electric vehicles are creating in the United States are already showing, and the EV market share is just reaching 6%. Imagine what will happen in another year.
Bosch, the largest auto supplier worldwide, will play a significant role in the transformation. During my visit, they seemed eager and up to the challenge of supporting the incoming wave of electric vehicles and the future of the industry.
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What would you get if you created the illegitimate love child of a Mercedes G-Wagon and a Brinks armored truck (and perhaps if the Mercedes chain-smoked through the pregnancy)? I think you’d wind up with something like the wacky-looking electric cart that has earned the dubious honor of being named this week’s Awesomely Weird Alibaba Electric Vehicle of the Week!
I’m not sure this is exactly an armored golf cart, so I wouldn’t invite any unnecessary potshots while cruising your hood, but I’m at a loss of how else to describe it.
It’s definitely not a “real” car, as evidenced by its US $6,999 price tag and the 30 km/h (18 mph) top speed. If you ask me though, that speed goes in the ‘advantages’ column. When you drive something that looks this good, you want to be going slow enough to give people a good, long look.
A vehicle like this is designed to send a statement. Unfortunately, I think that statement might be, “I wanted a Jeep but my spouse wanted to remodel the kitchen.”
So if it’s not a real car, then what is it?
Measuring a stubby 306 cm long (an entire half inch over 10 feet), this four-seater mini-SUV is less G-Wagon and more “Oh, gee” wagon. It can supposedly carry up to 370 kg (815 lb) in passengers or cargo, but there’s no telling how much of a dent that puts in the already challenged top speed.
Safety might also be a passing concern. It doesn’t have any seatbelts, but the tires look like they just about extend out past the front and rear, so at least you’ve got some nice shock-absorbent bumpers built into the design.
The advertisement claims a maximum range of up to 80 km (50 miles) per charge, which seems like several more miles than anyone needs from something like this.
There’s no word on battery technology, which means I’m assuming either features older lead acid tech or there’s a frunk full of lemons and a bunch of loose wires running through the firewall.
I’m glad to see that the roof rack is at least equipped with enough LED lights to make an airport runway jealous, just in case I find myself stuck in the wilds of my backyard after dark. And that roof rack even looks pretty heavy-duty, though since the cart is considerably taller than it is wide, tight turns with a heavily-loaded roof rack should probably be avoided.
As much as I love this thing, I don’t think I’ll be whipping out my credit card any time soon.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve bought plenty of bad ideas on Alibaba before. But since my $2,000 electric truck ending up costing me nearly 4x that much by the time it landed in the US, I’m a bit worried what the final price tag on a $6,999 Mini-MegaOverlander would become.
I don’t recommend anyone actually try buying this cute little TinyTrailblazer either, and I’m certainly not vouching for the vendor, who I discovered by chance while scrolling through Alibaba to procrastinate real work. Keep in mind that this is all part of a tongue-in-cheek column I write, diving into the depths of Alibaba’s weird and funny collection of awesome electric vehicles.
But hey, if someone does go that route, it wouldn’t be the first time my advice has been ignored and some awesome photos have landed in inbox several months later. Just don’t say I didn’t warn you if it turns out some Nigerian prince has your last paycheck and you’re up a creek with no MicroMudder to come bail you out!
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Yup, Mullen Automotive [Nasdaq: MULN] is still here! And the EV company is defying the naysayers, reporting progress in EV sales, and reducing its monthly burn rate. Following Mullen Automotive’s significant strides in expanding its EV presence and improving its financial health in the last few weeks, Electrek caught up with David Michery, CEO and chairman of Mullen Automotive, who told us what trends he thinks 2025 will see for EV owners and others in the EV market.
After 2024 saw breakthroughs in tech, affordability, and adoption, Michery predicts this year will see even more disruption, transforming transportation and logistics on a massive scale. Here’s what to watch for this year.
EV total cost of ownership falls sharply
“Even if the federal EV tax credit from the Inflation Reduction Act is repealed, EVs will become more affordable through state-level incentives, manufacturer subsidies, and private partnerships. The investment case for electrification is simply too strong for the private sector to ignore.
“Reduced battery costs, cheaper maintenance, and lower energy expenses will make EVs increasingly attractive to businesses and consumers. Charging infrastructure programs and fleet retrofitting will also help organizations navigate the upfront costs with the goal of long-term savings.
“The result is a financial tipping point: EVs will no longer just be environmentally compelling – they will also be the most cost-effective choice.”
Commercial EVs expand their use cases
“If 2024 was any indication, 2025 will bring new use cases for EVs. Transportation and delivery will likely continue to reign supreme, but the customizable nature of EVs means that we can expect more specialized use cases such as airport shuttles, university campus logistics, home services, and refrigerated delivery.
“Airports will adopt EV cargo vans for quieter, cleaner transit and delivery between terminals, while universities will electrify campus logistics to align with sustainability goals. Innovations in temperature-controlled EVs will expand the reach of refrigerated deliveries, cutting emissions in cold-chain logistics. And this is cause for celebration.
“New use cases mean more widespread adoption – and recognition that electrification is the best way forward.”
(Editor’s note: This is the business that Mullen Automotive is in, and he’s not wrong.)
2025 will be the year of the battery
“EV batteries are poised for immense improvement in the coming year. Solid-state polymer batteries – an innovation that significantly expands battery lifespan and thus widens range – are currently in road testing.
“Offering higher energy density and faster charging, these new batteries will make EVs more reliable and competitive with internal combustion vehicles as compared to other electric alternatives.
“Plus, better range and more efficient energy consumption will undoubtedly translate to lower maintenance costs for fleet owners.”
Read more: Mullen scores a solid, 3,000-unit electric truck order from Volt Mobility
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Environment
Toyota is still lagging behind EV rivals in the US as bZ4X sales finally start to pick up
Although Toyota bZ4X sales nearly doubled last year, the auto giant is still falling behind in the US EV market. Overseas rivals like Hyundai and Kia are lapping Toyota. Even other Japanese automakers, including Honda and Nissan, are selling more EVs in the US than Toyota.
Toyota bZ4X sales lagged behind US EV rivals in 2024
Toyota boasted that its 2024 electrified vehicle sales reached over 1 million in the US in 2024. However, that’s primarily thanks to its hybrid models.
With just 1,854 bZ4X models sold in December, Toyota’s 2024 total reached 18,570. Although that number is up 99% from the 9,329 sold in 2023, it’s still far behind the competition.
To put it in perspective, Honda, which began delivering its electric Prologue last March, sold over 33,000 models last year. In December, Honda sold nearly 7,900 Prologues alone. During the second half of 2024, Honda sold an average of over 5,000 electric SUVs per month.
Nissan also outsold Toyota with nearly 19,800 Ariya electric SUVs sold last year. Nissan’s decade-old LEAF secured another 11,226 sales in the US in 2024, up 57% year-over-year.
Kia’s first three-row electric SUV, the EV9, outsold the bZ4X last year despite a +$10,000 higher MSRP. After deliveries began in late 2023, Kia sold over 22,000 EV9 models in the US last year.
After setting new US sales records last year, Hyundai and Kia are aggressively aiming for more EV market share in 2025. Hyundai began production at its massive new EV plant in Georgia, where it will produce new EVs like the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5 and three-row IONIQ 9.
With Kia building EV9 models at its West Point plant and the Genesis Electrified GV70 built in Alabama, Hyundai Motor has five EV models that qualify for the $7,500 federal tax credit for the first time, which should boost demand further.
Toyota slashed 2025 bZ4X prices by $6,000 to make it more competitive. Starting at $37,070, the 2025 bZ4X undercuts the 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 ($42,500) and Nissan Ariya ($39,770).
Although Honda has yet to release 2025 Prologue prices, it’s expected to start much higher. The 2024 Honda Prologue starts at $47,400.
Electrek’s Take
Like several others, Toyota pushed back major EV projects, including its first three-row electric SUV. The delay gave overseas rivals, like Hyundai and Kia, an opportunity, which they gladly took advantage of.
Toyota also scrapped plans to build new Lexus electric SUVs in North America. Instead, the new Lexus EV models will be imported from Japan.
The company is preparing to start battery production at its new $13.9 billion facility in NC, which should help ramp up EV sales. In the first half of 2026, it will also begin building the larger electric SUV at its Georgetown, Kentucky, plant.
The Japanese auto giant is still promising advanced new EV batteries are coming soon with significantly more range and faster charging at a lower cost. But when will they actually hit the market?
Toyota has been vowing to launch new EV battery technology for years. By 2027, the company plans to launch a pair of new Performance and Popularized batteries, which will enable a nearly 500-mile (800-km) WLTP range. In 2028, Toyota plans to launch solid-state EV batteries with mass production in 2030.
Will it be enough? Or is Toyota already too late to the party? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
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