Making professionals more efficient by increasing battery power

Also introduced is the Bosch GAL 18 V-160 C Professional Charger, a fast 18V charging unit which uses connectivity.

Thanks to innovations including new-generation cells and Bosch CoolPack 2.0 technology, it is now possible to achieve a more powerful performance from very small packages. The same advances increase energy efficiency and, by protecting against heat damage, extend the battery’s life.

Under the campaign theme ‘Bosch Professional. Laying the foundations for a new world of power, lifetime and runtime,’ Bosch is encouraging users to move up to ProCORE18V. 

As additions to the Bosch Flexible Power System, the new batteries and charger will bring performance benefits to both existing and new equipment. Within the same voltage class, all Bosch Professional tools, chargers and batteries sold since 2008 are fully compatible.

All three of the Bosch ProfessionalProCORE 18V batteries are compact, powerful and long-running, but which of those factors is most important to a user will vary between applications. 

For repetitive tasks and overhead work, the ‘Compact’ ProCORE18V 4.0Ah option minimises fatigue and improves comfort. Its single-layer cell arrangement allows savings in weight and volume compared to a standard two-layer battery, but with no reduction in power.

The ‘Performance’ ProCORE18V 8.0Ah is ideal for a wide variety of jobs in which high power intensity is required. As powerful as a 1600W corded tool, and reportedly with 87% more power than a standard 18V battery, it has increased wood sawing and concrete drilling distances by 150% in tests. Amongst batteries with comparable runtime, it is a compact option.

In highly intensive applications using large rotary hammers, angle grinders or circular saws, ‘Endurance’ ProCORE18V 12.0Ah brings extremely high power (almost 2,000W) and the longest of runtimes. Although larger than the 4.0 and 8.0Ah ProCORE18V batteries, it is still a compact option for its runtime class.

According to Bosch, the key to extending runtime and lifetime is intelligent heat management and design, as developed for Bosch CoolPack 2.0. This provides well suited conditions for efficient battery performance and prevents damage from overheating. Compared to batteries without CoolPack, ProCORE18V packs reportedly last 135% longer.

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) materials have been especially chosen to maximise the effectiveness of battery cooling elements. Their structure, which encases each cell, is designed to increase surface area and thereby speed up heat dissipation. By avoiding gaps within the battery construction, internal storage of heat is avoided. The improved cell connectors used for CoolPack 2.0 also help, by lowering resistance and saving power.

A Single Cell Monitoring (SCM) system safely optimises power delivery from the cells, while battery status is displayed by a new high-resolution indicator with five LEDs.

Fast and connected charging

Producing a maximum 16A charging current, the Bosch GAL 18 V-160 C Professional Charger is now the company’s fastest for 18V batteries. It will, for instance, charge the ProCORE18V 12.0Ah to 80% in about 35 minutes. It can be used for all Bosch 14.4 and 18V batteries.

Its unique connectivity function enables connection to the user’s smartphone via Bluetooth and the Bosch Toolbox app. As well as checking battery health and charge level, it can be used to select between four charging modes. These range from a very low impact option to a Power Boost mode which will rapidly charge batteries to 50% of their capacity when necessary. 

The charger itself features an error indicator for temperature and battery failures, an accurate five-LED charging status indicator and a manual button for switching between standard and Power Boost charging. Active Air Cooling, via two internal fans, optimises the temperature for faster charging and quickly cools down hot batteries, taken straight from a tool, so charging can begin sooner.

The ProCORE18V 4.0Ah battery is available from September at £115.66 and the 8.0Ah from November at £187. The GAL 18 V-160 C Professional Charger goes on sale from 2019 priced at £105. Sales of the ProCORE18V 12.0Ah battery, at £230, will begin in 2019.