Daimler and Bosch Name Electric Motors JV EM-motive GmbH

German carmaker giant Daimler and automotive supplier Robert Bosch GmbH have been negotiating on a new joint venture that would see development and production of electric motors for all-electric vehicles in Europe for some three months now. Today, the two companies have confirmed they signed the official agreement, with production scheduled to begin sometime in 2012.

The JV will work under the name EM-motive GmbH and will have its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Hildesheim.

As for the engineering site, this will be located close to the parent companies in the Stuttgart area. Some 100 employees are expected to start working for the joint venture in the fourth quarter of this year. EM-motive GmbH will be headed up by two directors of equal rank, one from each partner company.

The distinctive feature of the electric motors produced by the joint venture is their modular design, which means that they can be installed in a wide variety of all-electric vehicles.

Starting from next year, the traction motors will be used in the electric vehicles of both the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands, starting with the new generation of the smart fortwo electric drive, which is to go on sale in early 2012.

According to current plans, the joint venture will have produced more than one million electric motors in all by 2020.

“This alliance is an investment in securing the future of the European automotive industry. It is also a perfect addition to our portfolio of electric motors for all our customers,” stated Wolf-Henning Scheider, the member of the board of management of Robert Bosch GmbH responsible for the Chassis Systems Control, Electrical Drives, and Starter Motors and Generators divisions.