But manufacturers are also innovating to simplify electric motor applications in order to save weight and cost, just-auto says.
Rapid growth in electric motors is being driven by new applications such as electrically assisted steering systems, active suspension and brake systems, which are now spreading to more vehicle segments.
just-auto researcher Matthew Beecham explained: “Our insatiable demand for safety, comfort, economy, clean environment and quality of driving are driving this explosive growth in electric motors. As the customer demands more of the vehicle, the industry is moving quickly to meet that demand and electric motors play a vital role in many areas.”
Electric motors are found in anything that has an electrical movement or solenoid function, such as window lifts, fuel pumps, mirror and headlamp adjusters, ABS, clutches, automatic manual transmissions, parking brakes and electric steering.
Electric parking brake systems are an example of an electric motors application that is growing fast. just-auto estimates that that there were nearly 1.8m Electric Parking Brake (EPB) systems sold in Western Europe in 2006 with annual volumes forecast to exceed 4.2m by 2013 – a growth rate in excess of 130%.
The industry consensus is that the EPB market will follow the same high growth rate path as power windows and central locking. Manufacturers also see the comfort feature as an important element for the vehicle’s resale value.
As the number of electric motors in vehicles increases, the collective weight of these motors also rises. That’s bringing moves by vehicle makers to reduce the number of electric motors, say in seats, in a bid to save cost and weight.
Last year, Denso launched a new type of power seat motor, claiming it as the world’s smallest and lightest (volume down 51%, mass reduced 37% compared to existing models).
Klaus Deller, executive vice president of the Brose Group with responsibilities for purchasing and development including electrics/electronics, told just-auto: “The essential tendencies are towards reduction of weight and designed space, reduction of power input and the necessary improvement of efficiency accommodating thus mainly for the environmental protection.”
The full just-auto.com report, ‘Global market review of automotive electric motors – forecasts to 2013’ is available for purchase from just-auto’s online research store at http://www.just-
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