Bosch world map of automotive powertrains

6 November 2014

Bosch has produced a map of automotive powertrain market share for Europe and select countries in the Americas and Asia. Among the differences highlighted are that nearly every fifth new vehicle in Japan is a hybrid; spark-ignition engines dominate the market most in China with an almost 100% share of new vehicle purchases; and diesel holds sway in Europe and India.

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Gasoline engines: Worldwide, gasoline engines are the most popular powertrain. China leads the field: there, nearly 100% of all new car purchasers choose a gasoline engine; in the US and Japan, the figure is roughly 75%. Engines with port-fuel injection still feature in more than every second gasoline-powered vehicle. Downsizing, turbocharging and direct injection are becoming more popular.

Diesel: In the EU and India, every second new car is a diesel. But outside these core markets as well, the diesel is becoming increasingly popular. The United States, for example, is a growth market. Bosch estimates that diesel’s market share there will rise from 3% today to as much as 10% in 2018. In South Korea as well, diesel is becoming more and more popular. For many Europeans, its benefits are already clear: a modern diesel consumes as much as 25% less fuel than a comparable gasoline engine, and delivers as much as 40% more torque.

Hybrid and electric vehicles: In Japan, nearly every fifth new car now features a hybrid powertrain. This makes the country the undisputed pioneer of electrification. In just a few years, registrations of hybrids will be significantly higher outside Japan as well. Bosch forecasts that of a predicted 113 million total vehicles sold worldwide in 2020, 6.5 million will be strong hybrids, 3 million will be plug-in hybrids, and 2.5 million will be all-electric (assuming a total of 113 million vehicles sold in 2020).

Flex fuel: Powertrains that can drive on both gasoline and alcohol (ethanol) are especially prominent in Brazil. The second largest market for this technology is the United States.

CNG: Worldwide, CNG powertrains are becoming increasingly popular. For ten years now, sales have been growing worldwide by 25%. In South Korea, CNG-powered vehicles have already captured an 11% share of the market.

Bosch noted that it provides technology for all these powertrain types.