- Bosch provides injection system and motor-generator unit
- Audi R18 e-tron quattro diesel hybrid features Bosch technology
- Bosch diesel injection systems have earned success at Le Mans since 2006
If, on June 23, another Audi wins the 24 Hours of Le Mans, then Bosch advanced diesel hybrid technology will have played a part in the victory. From 2006 to 2008 and again from 2010 to 2012, this classic endurance sports car race was won by Audi diesel and diesel hybrid cars – and each time, the winners were equipped with Bosch technology. Bosch is a development partner for Audi’s R18 e-tron quattro racing hybrid, supplying not only the injection system but also key components for the electric drive for the racing car. “Bosch and Audi have combined the high torque and low consumption of the diesel engine with the power of an additional electric drive,” says Dr. Markus Heyn, president of the Bosch Diesel Systems division. “And many drivers are also reaping the benefits of diesel every day, in normal driving conditions.” In 2012, as many as half of all newly registered passenger cars in Germany had diesel engines.
A hybrid system tailored to the Le Mans series Naturally, the systems used in Le Mans racing cars are specially manufactured. Audi Sport developed the motor-generator unit (MGU) in cooperation with Bosch as a technical partner specially for use in the Audi R18 e-tron quattro prototype. Fitted to the front axle, the MGU uses its integrated power electronics to feed energy recovered during braking into a flywheel. During acceleration, the MGU drives the racing car’s front axle via two electric motors that together deliver over 160 kW (218 PS) of power. These give the already high-torque diesel car an additional boost of acceleration.
Bosch also supplies Audi Sport with the entire common-rail injection system, comprising the high-pressure pump, injectors, and high-pressure rail. In addition, Bosch Motorsport supplies the customized MS 24 engine control unit, starter, and generator, as well as the car’s wiring harness and telemetry system. This system sends all the relevant vehicle data to the pits via radio and WLAN to give the team’s engineers a constant overview of the technical status of the car’s systems. The Audi racing cars also feature an electrically assisted rack and pinion steering system. It was developed by Audi Sport in collaboration with Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Lenksysteme GmbH, a fifty-fifty joint venture between Robert Bosch GmbH and ZF Friedrichshafen AG.
