Too early to predict demise of diesel engines: Bosch

Global auto parts major Bosch today said it is too early to say if the emission scandal with diesel engines at the German car major Volkswagen Group will help in fastening the pace of development in the electric cars space.
"It is too early. We've to wait to see what will happen with the diesel market and also for the alternatives," Bosch Group chairman Volkmar Denner told reporters on the sidelines of a company event here, when asked if the Volkswagen scandal will prove to be the silver lining for electric cars.
Last month, the world's top auto company had admitted that it had cheated on the emission tests in the US market from 2006 and that the company would recall as many as 11 million vehicles from the world's second-largest market to rectify the flaws.

It can be noted that many issues restrict popularization of the greener electric cars, starting with the batteries which need to be made cheaper, smaller and more efficient.
Denner, however, said the diesel engines are here to stay till there is a maturity in the alternatives and added that Bosch continues to work on making the engines better.
However, he declined to comment any specifics surrounding the scandal-hit Volkswagen.

When asked about reports which say the scandal-hit Volkswagen's suppliers like Bosch may be asked to chip-in with money, he said VW has not initiated any such talks with it.
It has been reported that VW will have to pay billions of dollars in penal compensation to the US authorities alone. If US consumers file a class action suit, as they are famous for, then the company will be in more trouble.

He said the auto industry has been working in collaboration with regulators for some time now and they are working on real driving emissions (RDE) for some time now.