Electric vehicles have come with new engineering challenges in bearing technology. Stray currents from the electric motor cause electrical erosion, which calls for new bearing solutions. Learn how we built one and created two lines of defence.
Electric motors introduce a problem that conventional bearings were never designed for. At 400–800V, stray currents find their way through the bearing. This causes electrical erosion, resulting in fluting, which goes unnoticed until the motor fails. By the time the problem is visible, it is already expensive.
The conventional response was ceramic rolling elements that insulate the bearing from the current. But insulation alone redirects the current rather than eliminating it. A fully insulated bearing pushes the current to find another path through the motor.
Our answer tackles both sides of the problem. Ceramic bearings that block the current at the positions where risk is highest. And a conductive brush ring, that creates a dedicated path for capacitive discharge. This way, the current can be routed safely to ground rather than through the bearing. Together, they protect both the bearing and the wider motor system.
Bearings that last longer and protect the motor from damage also mean fewer replacements, less waste and a longer service life for the vehicle.
The core of this solution is patented, and it is in production with customers across the market today. It is an engineering challenge we had been working on long before it became an industry-wide priority.
Electrify without the failures
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