Bosch’s new smart charging cable, introduced at the recent IAA Mobility 2021 trade show, is designed to be flexible and compact. It includes the usual control and safety technology, but dispenses with the usual bulky in-cable control box, or “charging brick.”

The new cable weighs less than three kg, and comes with adapters for Type 2 and household plugs. (In Europe, many public charging stations require drivers to provide their own cables, with Type 2 plugs on either end.)

The three-phase cable enables Mode 2 and Mode 3 AC charging at power levels of up to 22 kW.

To integrate the control and safety technology into the compact cable connectors, Bosch developers leveraged the company’s miniaturization expertise to significantly reduce the size of the electronic components.

The Type 2 connector at the vehicle end contains the components for controlling and monitoring charging power. At the other end, the household plug adapter houses the temperature control and a residual current device, which ensures that no overheating occurs.

“With this universal charging cable, Bosch is making electromobility even more customer-friendly,” says Dr. Uwe Gackstatter, President of the Bosch Powertrain Solutions division. “We want to make the new cable standard equipment for electric vehicles.”

Bosch expects to start selling the new cable to vehicle OEMs and drivers in mid-2022.

Source: Bosch