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ZF has developed a pre-series electric drive that can reach 30,000 rpm and deliver 200 kW peak power. The company says it is about 25% smaller and lighter than a comparable 200-kW SELECT drive, and aims to halve its magnet requirement; series production is targeted for 2030.
ZF has developed a pre-series electric drive that reaches speeds of up to 30,000 rpm, with a peak output of 200 kW. The German supplier says its High Revolution Drive takes about 25% less installation space and weighs about 25% less than a comparable 200-kW drive, while its production target is 2030.
The High Revolution Drive combines an electric machine, inverter and transmission in a 3-in-1 unit. Because a motor turning faster can produce a given power output with less torque, ZF uses a two-stage spur-gear transmission with a ratio of about 18:1 to deliver torque to the wheels. ZF lists peak torque at the wheel as 3,500 Nm.
ZF compares the new drive with a SELECT unit rated at the same 200 kW peak power and a maximum speed of 18,000 rpm. Against that reference, it says the new design reduces installation space and weight by approximately 25% each. The supplier also aims to cut magnet requirements by 50%; that figure is a target, not a reported measurement from a production vehicle.
The architecture is intended for 400- and 800-volt systems and initially targets vehicles in the roughly 150-to-200-kW power range. ZF says the design can be scaled to other outputs. The company reports that efficiency is at the same level as its comparison drive, but has not published specific efficiency figures.
Smaller Drives, Lower Magnet Demand
If the stated reductions carry through to production, the design could give automakers more flexibility when packaging electric powertrains. A drive that occupies less space and weighs less may help manufacturers fit components into tighter vehicle layouts or manage vehicle mass. Those are potential design benefits; ZF has not identified a vehicle or quantified any resulting range, cost or performance change.
The proposed 50% reduction in magnet requirement also matters because magnets use materials with concentrated supply chains. Lower use could reduce exposure to material costs and sourcing constraints, though the effect would depend on the materials, sourcing arrangements and final production design. ZF has not supplied a cost estimate.
High rotational speed brings engineering demands as well as packaging opportunities. Noise, vibration, bearings and gearing must be managed as the motor turns at up to 30,000 rpm. ZF says it developed the motor, gearing, bearings and tooth geometry together, drawing on its transmission expertise. The company describes this speed as a technical and economic “sweet spot” for the configuration; that is ZF’s assessment, not an independently established industry benchmark.
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Built on ZF’s SELECT Platform
The drive is based on ZF’s modular SELECT platform, allowing the supplier to use existing components and technologies rather than create an entirely new modular system. ZF presents the new unit as an addition to its electric-drive portfolio, not as a replacement for every existing design.
The initial focus on 150-to-200-kW applications places the concept in the volume segment described by the supplier. Support for both 400- and 800-volt systems means the architecture is intended for more than one electrical-system configuration, although ZF has not named specific models or customers.
ZF has said it is in discussions with several automakers, but has not identified them or announced a vehicle program. The drive remains in pre-series development. The supplier has also been working through cost and utilization pressures in its e-mobility business. In the spring of 2026, after a make-or-buy review, ZF decided to continue developing and producing electric motors and inverters in-house, according to the source report.
“30,000 rpm is a technical and economic “sweet spot” for the presented configuration.”
— ZF, as reported by electrive
Production Readiness Still Unproven
The High Revolution Drive is still in the pre-series phase, so its performance in customer vehicles and at production scale has not been established in the source material. ZF has not named automakers it is speaking with, confirmed a vehicle project, or announced orders.
Several important figures remain unpublished. There are no specific efficiency values, independent test results, detailed operating conditions for the 25% size and weight comparisons, or a cost breakdown. The claimed magnet reduction is an aim, and ZF has not said which magnet materials or supply chains would be affected.
The company also has not provided a production schedule beyond its target of series production by 2030. Whether that timing, the projected reductions and the stated efficiency comparison hold in final vehicles remains to be seen.
Automaker Talks and 2030 Target
ZF says discussions with several automakers are under way. The next public milestones would be confirmation of a customer or vehicle application, further technical data, and evidence that the drive has progressed from pre-series development toward production readiness.
The company’s stated goal is to begin series production by 2030. Until ZF or an automaker provides more detail, the scale of planned adoption, the timing of any vehicle launch and whether the target reductions are retained in production versions remain open.
Key Questions
What is ZF’s High Revolution Drive?
It is a pre-series 3-in-1 electric drive combining an electric machine, inverter and transmission. ZF says it can reach 30,000 rpm and produce up to 200 kW peak power.
How much smaller and lighter does ZF say it is?
Compared with a 200-kW SELECT drive rated to 18,000 rpm, ZF says the High Revolution Drive needs about 25% less installation space and is about 25% lighter. The report does not give independent test results or detailed comparison conditions.
Does the drive reduce magnet use by 50%?
ZF aims to halve the magnet requirement. The source does not establish that the reduction has been achieved in a production-ready unit.
When could it enter production?
ZF is targeting series production by 2030. The drive is currently in pre-series development, and no customer or vehicle program has been named.
Which vehicle electrical systems does it support?
ZF says the architecture is designed for both 400- and 800-volt systems. It is initially aimed at drive outputs of roughly 150 to 200 kW and is described as scalable to other power levels.
Source: electrive.com
