ZF shows a 30,000 rpm electric drive with 200 kW peak power and half the magnet mass
ZF's prototype drive spins at up to 30,000 rpm and, by the company's figures, cuts weight by 25% and magnet mass by 50% at the same power. Series readiness is targeted by 2030.
On 5 November 2026, the automotive supplier ZF from Friedrichshafen presented a new electric drive that runs at up to 30,000 rpm, reports ingenieur.de. The version shown delivers 200 kW peak power, about 272 PS ingenieur.de
ingenieur.deingenieur.deOpen source ↗. A prototype has been on a test bench since February 2026, and ZF aims to reach series production by 2030. The drive is intended mainly for mass-market electric cars, not for supercars.
Why a higher speed allows a smaller motor
At equal power, the faster a motor turns, the less torque it must produce. For 200 kW of mechanical power, a motor needs about 106 Nm at 18,000 rpm, which is the speed of an earlier drive on ZF's SELECT platform. At 30,000 rpm, about 64 Nm is enough, roughly 40% less. This lets rotor and stator be made more compact. The actual saving also depends on cooling, magnetic design and mechanical strength.
The wheels need far more torque than the small motor delivers directly. ZF therefore pairs the machine with a two-stage spur gear with an overall ratio of about 18:1. At 30,000 rpm, about 1667 rpm arrives at the gearbox output. Motor, power electronics and gearbox sit in one unit, which ZF calls a 3-in-1 drive. The peak torque of 3,500 Nm is a value at the wheel and is not necessarily reached at maximum motor speed.
Savings, limits and status
According to the manufacturer, compared with a SELECT drive of the same output, the new system has 25% less weight, just under 25% less installation space and 50% less magnet mass. ZF puts system costs 13% lower ingenieur.de
ingenieur.deingenieur.deOpen source ↗. The drive still uses permanent magnets, only far fewer of them. ZF states a system efficiency of up to 93% in the WLTP, roughly the level of the SELECT system. Independent measurements are not yet available, and ZF gives no figure for range gain.
At such speeds, imbalance, bearings and gear geometry become critical. ZF developer Stephan Demmerer said in a VDI Wissensforum interview in February 2026 that this speed level can still be reached largely with conventional materials and manufacturing methods. Higher speeds might require extra rotor reinforcement or more elaborate bearings.
The drive builds on the SELECT platform, with output planned at about 150 to 200 kW and variants for 400 V and 800 V on-board systems. ZF says it is in talks with several automakers; no series customer or vehicle model has been named.
