CO₂-efficient drives

Low-emission internal combustion engines

Bestandteil des GNFK StartThe Schaeffler Group is currently working on improving internal combustion engines for use in hybrid powertrains, with a particular focus on reducing CO₂ emissions and fulfilling future emission standards. The company is thus developing new solutions for reducing friction, e.g., for mass balancing systems, and is using variable valve train systems to optimize gas exchange and the combustion process.

With the Smart OverRun System (SORS), the Schaeffler Group has also developed a solution for mild hybrid drives that reduces CO₂ emissions – which thanks to the mild hybrid technology are already lower – by another approximately 5 %, while also reducing harmful emissions.Bestandteil des GNFK Ende

Innovation for e-mobility

Bestandteil des GNFK StartThe Schaeffler Group offers innovations and development expertise in the area of electric mobility on both a system and component level and, with its products, covers many areas of electrification, from mild hybrid drives to all-electric driving.

At the international IAA MOBILITY exhibition in 2021, the company unveiled its 800-volt power electronics for applications associated with the electric axles of high-performance vehicles. It does not only play a key role in powertrain efficiency, but also reduces power loss and increases the overall range.

From components to complete systems and from light hybridization to fully electric driving: Together with our customers, we are electrifying the powertrain and, in doing so, shaping sustainable mobility.

Matthias ZinkCEO Automotive Technologies

The company also presented a highly integrated 3-in-1 electric axle that can be used for a variety of vehicle platforms and boasts high system efficiency and output density. It combines an electric motor, transmission, and power electronics in a single system, for which the Schaeffler software processes signals and controls the drive. The 3-in-1 electric axle is thus an expansion of the 2-in-1 electric axle system that combined the transmission with a highly efficient electric motor.

To further establish e-mobility beyond automotive applications, the Schaeffler Group has introduced the chainless “Free Drive” bike-by-wire drive system. The recuperative solution converts the mechanical energy generated by pedaling into electrical energy, which the electric motor converts back into mechanical energy. Excess energy can be stored in the rechargeable battery, which reduces the need for external battery charging on the power grid. And since there are fewer mechanical parts to wear out, the solution is comparably low-maintenance.

The focus on electric mobility is also reflected in revenue development in the E-Mobility business division: This increased from EUR 1,047 m in 2020 to EUR 1,245 m in 2021.¹⁾Bestandteil des GNFK Ende

1) Previous year’s figures according to the segment structure reported in 2021.