Following its entry into the U.S. eBike market in early 2014, Bosch has established a new headquarters office for Bosch eBike Systems (www.bosch-ebike.us) in Southern California, expanding the business unit’s global operations in the U.S. and Canada.
Tim Frasier, president, Automotive Electronics, Robert Bosch LLC and company executives joined local customers, business partners and bicycle advocacy leaders on Jan. 8 to publicly announce the opening of the 4,000 square-foot office located at 12 Mauchly, Unit E in Irvine. The new office will manage sales, marketing, advocacy, application and technical support, service, project management, and quality management.
The new headquarters will help Bosch eBike Systems support the growing number of bicycle brands launching pedal-assist eBike products in the U.S. and Canadian markets, such as BH EasyMotion, Felt Bicycles, Grace, Haibike, KTM, Lapierre, Xtracycle, and others. Bosch-equipped eBikes will be available in 2015 on a wide variety of bicycle styles like urban commuter, trekking, mountain, fat-tire, and cargo bikes. Bosch is Europe’s market leader in pedal-assist electric bike technology.
“Since Bosch-equipped eBikes first went on sale in the U.S. last summer, we’ve seen fantastic response to our product. We’re expecting a big year in 2015 as even more brands begin to offer eBikes with our technology. Our new headquarters located in the heart of the U.S. biking industry will help us to support these brands, their dealers, and ultimately, the end-consumer,” said Claudia Wasko, business unit leader, Bosch eBike Systems North America.
“Bosch’s heritage and future is based on innovation and deploying our core competencies in new business areas. Opening this new headquarters for the eBike systems business is truly an exciting milestone in the expansion of Bosch’s North American footprint,” said Frasier. “eBikes offer a new era of mobility for commuters, athletes, enthusiasts, trailblazers and those leading an active life. They are an outstanding example of how we live our company imperative, ‘Invented for life.’”
“Bosch's decision to anchor its North American headquarters in California displays the nexus of a bike friendly state with a strong economy,” said Dave Snyder, Executive Director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “So many of their customers − bicyclists and bike companies − are already here in California, and as the Bicycle Coalition succeeds in enabling more people to bike, Bosch can look forward to a long and prosperous time in California.”
Bosch’s eBike System, when mounted on a bicycle, has the power to flatten hills and shrink cities. It does this by boosting a cyclist’s human power with electric power at speeds up to 20 mph. The key components of the system are the PowerPack and Drive Unit, which leverage state-of-the-art Li-ion battery, motor, and sensor technology from Bosch’s Automotive and Power Tools businesses. The end-result is the cyclist feels they are being pushed up the road by a tailwind as they pedal − great for outdoor adventurists and urban commuters alike.
The opening of the new eBike headquarters marks another step in Bosch’s continued expansion in California. Currently Bosch employs over 500 associates throughout 10 facilities across the state, active in research and development (Palo Alto) and a variety of business areas from automotive aftermarket (Fountain Valley, Ontario, Santa Barbara) to drive and controls (Pleasanton), healthcare (Palo Alto) to home appliances (Irvine), power tools (Anaheim) to security systems (Ontario) to thermotechnology (Irvine). Irvine is an especially strategic location, due to its adjacency to many of the world’s largest bicycle brands and thriving bicycling culture.
