Bosch Engineering: High-Voltage Electrification of Boats

Maritime Applications Bosch Engineering Enables Rapid High-Voltage Electrification of Boats

2025-11-24 From Stefanie Eckardt | Translated by AI 2 min Reading Time

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The integration of an electric inboard motor into sports boats or commercial ships is usually associated with significant development effort. With a new complete system, Bosch Engineering now enables simple and rapid high-voltage electrification of boats and small ships.

Bosch Engineering enables simple and rapid high-voltage electrification of boats and small ships.(Image: Bosch Engineering) — Bosch Engineering enables simple and rapid high-voltage electrification of boats and small ships.
(Image: Bosch Engineering)

Bosch Engineering supplies its new Electric Drive for Marine Applications (EDM) as a ready-to-install inboard unit, in which the electric motor is mounted as a compact unit together with the gearbox, inverter, onboard charger, heat exchanger, E-box with control unit, and the associated cooling pumps. The system is complemented by high- and low-voltage wiring, a charging socket, as well as a display and control elements for the cockpit of the boat or ship. The EDM delivers 160 HP (continuous) and weighs around 180 kilograms (~397 pounds), resulting in a power density of approximately 0.7 kW/kg. For higher power demands, two EDMs can be coupled to form a twin drive system with two propellers.

Flexibility in Mechanical Installation

The EDM unit has comparable installation dimensions to an inboard combustion engine of similar power and demonstrates great flexibility in mechanical installation. This allows for easy integration into an existing hull design or replacing the drive as a retrofit. For applications with limited space, a variant is also available in which the inboard components are not pre-assembled but delivered separately and can be freely positioned in the engine compartment.

Thermal Management

The thermal management of the inboard unit not only covers the cooling of the integrated drive components but also the temperature regulation of the high-voltage battery. The high-voltage battery is not included in the scope of delivery; Bosch Engineering recommends suitable solutions, and the user selects based on individual requirements and spatial conditions. The standardized communication interface of the EDM ensures software compatibility with the various high-voltage batteries available on the market. This provides great flexibility for the optimal configuration of the overall system. Charging the battery is carried out via the charger integrated into the EDM. This significantly simplifies the integration of the charging function into the ship's E/E architecture.

Drive-related information and driving data for display on the supplied screen are also provided by the EDM. Other safety-relevant and time-efficient features of the EDM include an intelligent system response to unexpected failures or defects and guided troubleshooting and repair using a diagnostic device. Another feature is the optional connectivity via the mobile network, enabling functions such as software updates or monitoring of selected drive parameters "Over the Air" (OTA).

Adaptation from the Automotive Sector

Bosch Engineering combines its expertise in electrification in the automotive sector and the motorization of marine applications. The system components used come from Bosch's automotive production and meet the quality standards of the passenger car and commercial vehicle sector.

For the electrification of maritime applications, the company offers not only the EDM but also the Electric Drive System Platform (EDSP). The EDSP is a modular solution where various drive components such as the electric motor, gearbox, inverter, and control unit can be assembled individually. If boat builders wish to handle the electrification on their own, all components are also available as standalone modules.

To equip larger and heavier ship applications with an electric inboard motor in the future, Bosch Engineering plans an expansion to additional performance classes. (se)

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