Bosch builds the world’s smallest starter for passenger cars

September 12, 2013: With its compact size and its outer diameter of just 60 millimetres, the Bosch C60 is the world’s smallest starter for passenger cars. It is available in three versions, which range from 0.8 to 1.2 kilowatts in power. It is designed mainly for petrol engines with an engine displacement of up to two litres, but can also be used in small diesel engines with reduced drag torque. Weighing just two kilogrammes, the C60 is about 25 percent lighter than currently available products, making it a global benchmark. The C60 series, which can also be used with start-stop applications, makes starting a car comfortable and quiet.

The C60 is designed for small petrol engines with an engine displacement of up to two litres. This segment currently accounts for some 70 percent of the global market, and is continuing to grow. The growing share of low-cost compact cars in the world’s emerging markets is one of the drivers of this development. Thanks to its lightweight and compact design, the C60 is particularly well suited to this segment.

By combining the planetary gearbox with the overrunning clutch, power requirements have been reduced and the relay resized accordingly. As a result, the voltage dip associated with starting the car has been minimised. Moreover, thanks to the armature’s improved electrical design, copper content has been reduced by one-third, and the starter’s compact dimensioning also means a similar reduction in the amount of aluminium and steel required. The C60’s design makes it suitable for conventional and start-stop applications in a wide range of engine platforms worldwide. This saves automakers calibration work and enables standardised production in the global Bosch manufacturing network.

Bosch engineers in Germany, China, Brazil, and India worked together to develop the C60 in the company’s global network. Production is scheduled to begin in September 2013 in China, where Bosch will supply the C60 to a major local customer. Shortly after, the compact and particularly efficient starter will also be produced in Germany, Brazil, and India.

Photograph: The C60 starter is designed for petrol engines with an engine displacement of up to two litres, as well as for small diesel engines. Production is set to begin before the end of 2013.