Schaeffler’s Integrated Powertrain Technologies Provide Flexible Solutions for Next Generation Battery Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

As the automotive industry continues to evolve, electrification is redefining how vehicles are designed, engineered and manufactured. Schaeffler, the Motion Technology Company, is shaping this mobility transition with an innovative powertrain portfolio that combines electric drive systems, hybrid powertrain technologies and precision-engineered components to deliver efficient, flexible and scalable solutions for the next generation of vehicles.

At the 2026 Schaeffler Automotive Symposium, under the theme “Beyond Driving. Together We Innovate.”, Schaeffler recently showcased how these technologies improve vehicle efficiency, optimize performance and support diverse electrification strategies.

Integrated Powertrain Solutions Built for Flexibility

Vehicle manufacturers require powertrain solutions that can be adapted across multiple vehicle platforms. Schaeffler meets this need with a comprehensive portfolio of integrated systems and key components, including e-axles, electric drive units, transmission components, bearings, actuators, sensors and electronic control units. Engineered to work together as complete systems, these technologies reduce complexity, improve efficiency, optimize installation space and shorten development cycles for passenger cars and commercial vehicles.

“The future of mobility will require a range of powertrain solutions tailored to different markets, applications and customer needs,” said Patrick Lindemann, president, E-Mobility, Americas. “Schaeffler’s strength is our ability to combine expertise across components, electric drives, hybrid systems, electronics and software to deliver integrated technologies that help automakers develop efficient and flexible vehicles for the road ahead.”

E-Axle Solutions

Schaeffler’s e-axle supports both battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), integrating key propulsion and power management functions into a compact, highly efficient system. By combining the electric motor, transmission and power electronics, Schaeffler’s e-axle solutions reduce installation space, simplify vehicle integration and give automakers greater flexibility to meet application-specific performance and packaging requirements. The modular architecture also enables different levels of integration and power output, helping optimize efficiency, performance and overall vehicle design across the evolving mobility mix.

A key technology within the portfolio is Schaeffler’s Externally Excited Synchronous Motor (EESM), which replaces permanent magnets with electrically excited rotor windings. By eliminating the need for rare earth magnets, the EESM provides a more sustainable motor solution while delivering permanent magnet performance across the entire operating range with enhanced power and efficiency at high speeds.

Bearing Solutions Built for Electrification

The electric powertrain portfolio is further enhanced by Schaeffler’s advanced bearing technologies, engineered specifically for the demanding operating conditions of electrified powertrains.

VoltShield bearings feature electrically insulated overmolding that block harmful current flow through the bearing, protecting electric motors from premature failures caused by high frequency circulating currents, delivering up to 50 percent cost savings compared with ceramic coatings or ceramic balls. Together with Schaeffler’s precision bearing portfolio, these technologies improve powertrain durability, enhance system reliability and support higher power densities and rotational speeds required by next-generation electric vehicles.

VoltPath bearings provide a controlled electrical current path through the bearing, safely diverting stray shaft currents away from sensitive components to help prevent electrical damage and extend bearing life.

Technologies for Every Electrification Strategy

Schaeffler offers a comprehensive portfolio of production-ready hybrid technologies supporting parallel, series, multimode, and powersplit configurations.

Schaeffler’s custom-engineered hybrid torque converters are designed and manufactured in-house to meet each customer’s specific performance and packaging requirements, leveraging the company’s expertise as the largest torque converter manufacturer in the Americas, with approximately 57 million units produced to date. By integrating electric machine functionality into the torque converter, these solutions deliver smooth launch characteristics, efficient torque transfer and seamless transitions between combustion engine and electric drive while maximizing overall drivetrain efficiency.

Complementing the hybrid torque converter is Schaeffler’s Shiftable One-Way Clutch (SOWC), an innovative electromechanical solution that selectively transmits torque in the desired direction while disengaging when not required. This reduces drag losses, improves transmission efficiency and enhances shift comfort in hybrid applications.

The portfolio also includes the Generator Drive electric drive unit, a highly integrated solution that combines a generator and e-axle into a single compact system. By consolidating key powertrain functions, the architecture reduces system complexity and lowers costs compared with traditional hybrid designs, delivering efficient propulsion across a wide range of operating conditions and improved efficiency at highway speeds.

Together, these technologies improve fuel efficiency, reduce installation space and provide the technical maturity required for high-volume production across a broad range of hybrid applications.

Supporting the powertrain mix of the future

Schaeffler’s portfolio is designed to support multiple propulsion pathways as automakers balance electrification, performance, cost and platform flexibility. By combining component expertise with systems integration, the company aims to offer solutions that can be tailored to specific market and customer needs.

schaeffler.us/us/