CHARLESTON, SC—Bosch has started to mass-produce electric vehicle motors at its factory here. The 200,000-square-foot operation is housed in an existing building that previously produced diesel engine components. The new line produces subassemblies, such as rotors and stators, as well as finished motors.

“We have long been believers in the potential of electromobility, and we have been investing heavily to bring this technology to market at scale for our customers,” says Mike Mansuetti, president of Bosch North America. “We have grown our electrification business globally and here in the North American region.

“We’ve invested more than $6 billion in electromobility development and in 2021, our global orders for electromobility surpassed $10 billion for the first time,” claims Mansuetti. “Local production helps to advance our customers’ regional electrification strategies, and further supports the market demand for electrification.”

The 48-year-old Charleston facility is one of Bosch’s largest manufacturing site in the United States, employing around 1,500 people. It covers more than 900,000 square feet of floor space located on 118 acres. The plant produces a variety of items, including high-pressure fuel injectors and pumps for internal combustion engines.

“The Charleston plant stands out with a long history of process competency, as well as its knowledge in the area of automation and robotics,” explains Mansuetti, who started out his Bosch career as a manufacturing engineer at the facility. “Production at the site features highly automated processes, and [we are using] artificial intelligence and Industry 4.0 methods to gain more efficiency. 

“We are in the midst of major shifts in mobility, and the story of reinvention in Charleston is a model for how electrification production can evolve from within an existing facility,” says Mansuetti. “We are building on the long-standing expertise and commitment of the Charleston team with this new production.”