The automotive supplier group CLEPA has named ZF a leading pioneer in the “Green” category. The standard for electromobility is raised by award-winning rare earth-free electric motor technology, which does away with the need for magnets while preserving performance and improving sustainability.
“This award is a recognition of our continuous efforts to develop innovative and environmentally friendly solutions for electromobility,” says Otmar Scharrer, Head of Engineering Electrified Powertrain Technology at ZF. We are demonstrating a more ecologically responsible alternative to conventional solutions with our electric motor, which offers peak performance without the need for rare earth elements.
Rare earth metals are often difficult to extract, and mining for them has a significant environmental impact. Nonetheless, they remain a crucial component of electromobility since they are used in batteries and magnets. ZF’s I²SM (In-Rotor Inductive-stimulated Synchronous Machine) completely does away with the necessity for these metals by using an inductively stimulated, magnet-free system in the rotor. This reduces dependency on necessary raw resources and significantly boosts sustainability and efficiency.
Reducing the need for rare earths saves precious resources during production and lessens reliance on the supply chain. Moreover, unlike the permanent magnet synchronous machines (PSM) now in use, there are no drag losses from permanent magnets, which increases efficiency on long highway travels at high speeds.
ZF has previously won the CLEPA Innovation Award in 2020 for an environmentally friendly truck trailer prototype with an integrated electric drive called the eTrailer, and in 2022 for its autonomous shuttle. ZF and WABCO won the 2017 Innovation Award for their joint development of the Evasive Maneuver Assist system for commercial vehicles.
