OEM development cycles for passenger vehicles used to take years, but market dynamics have changed drastically. Every decision made early determines what's possible later. Almost every new platform demands its own bearing solution, not a part off the shelf. As partners to OEMs, we help define the specification instead of waiting for it to arrive. From initial concept to final component, we co-create customized solutions that no catalogue can offer.
Our in-house simulation tools accelerate that process. Where traditional bearing optimisation takes days, our tools evaluate hundreds of design variants in hours. This gives OEM engineers faster answers and shorter development cycles.
Where passenger vehicles are heading
Global passenger vehicle production is a fast-moving industry that keeps demanding more from the components. Electrification is a defining challenge. As powertrains change, every bearing must run more efficiently, generate less NVH and manage the electrical currents that come with high voltage systems.
The powertrain is changing. Everything inside it must too.
As the motor changes, so do the demands on the bearings. That’s because electric motors run at significantly higher speeds than combustion engines, generating heat in different places and at different rates. Continuous electrical current is an additional risk that causes conventional bearings to erode from the inside and shortening service life.
At the same time, the silent cabin of an EV removes the engine noise that once masked bearing sound. That means NVH (Noise, Vibration & Harshness) precision matters more than ever. And every fraction of friction at every point costs range.
Our answer combines two complementary approaches. Ceramic bearings that insulate against electrical current, resisting erosion at the positions where it's most damaging. And conductive brush rings that create a dedicated path for capacitive discharge helps protecting also other components in the eDrives, such as gears.
Up to 20% less friction. 30% longer life. Optimised in hours, not days.
Manual bearing optimisation for a new platform takes time. Our simulation tool SKF Vertevo PowerBEAR evaluates more than 300 design variants automatically. It assesses service life, NVH behavior and bearing size against the customer's specific load cycle, space constraints, lifetime requirements, as well as cost. The output is the best possible design for the given boundaries, delivered in hours.
On hybrid bearings, SKF Vertevo PowerBEAR has delivered optimized bearing designs with up to 20% reduction in friction and 30% increase in service life. This allows for significant cost reduction depending on bearing position.
01
Electrical erosion
Since EV motors run at high speed and inverters are inducing parastic stray current to the system, conventional bearings degrade faster than their rated life, through micro pitting, frosting and fluting. We engineer ceramic bearing solutions that resist electrical current discharges at the positions where risk is highest, and integrate conductive brush rings that provide a dedicated path for capacitive discharge.
02
Noise, vibration & harshness (NVH)
In an electric vehicle, there is no engine noise to mask bearing sound. Precision matters more than it ever did in a combustion powertrain. We engineer for quiet running from the earliest design stage as a core requirement.
03
Weight and efficiency
Less friction means more range. We build function into the bearing itself by integrating sealing, surface treatment and sensor capability directly into the unit, reducing parts, weight and friction.
04
Sealing and contamination
New drivetrain architectures introduce new contamination paths. New lubricant chemistries create new compatibility requirements. We engineer seal solutions matched to the application, the load, the lubricant and the operating environment.
Vehicles already on the road need parts engineered to the same standard as the day they left the factory. Our global presence ensures that the right replacement part will be available with fast delivery wherever the vehicle ends up.
Ready to co-drive?
Let’s talk about where you’re heading.