ABB India Launches Rare Earth-Free IE5 Motors for Industrial Applications

26 Sep 2025 CW Team

“Our strategic investment is not just about building capacity — it’s about reinforcing our long-term vision for India as a key global manufacturing hub,” said Stefan Floeck, President – IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB. “With rising demand for energy-efficient motors, we’re engineering solutions that help customers outrun leaner and cleaner.”

The launch of ABB’s IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motors marks a significant milestone in its commitment to industrial energy efficiency and sustainability.

With power ratings from 45 kW to 1000 kW, this is India’s first IE5 motor range built on proven induction motor technology—free from rare-earth metals and engineered for high performance and reliability, even in the most demanding industrial environments.

Custom-engineered for Indian operating conditions, these motors operate seamlessly on both Direct-On-Line (DOL) and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), making them ideal for industries such as metals, cement, textiles, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and paper.

With up to 40% lower energy losses compared to IE3 motors, they deliver faster ROI, reduced total cost of ownership, and a longer operating life.

“These motors combine the reliability of proven induction technology with ultra-premium efficiency - without relying on rare-earth metals, said Sanjeev Arora, President – Motion Business & IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB India. This milestone reflects our commitment to supporting Indian industries with sustainable, high-performance solutions that are built for local conditions and aligned with the nation’s push toward industrial decarbonization.”

ABB’s latest launch and investment strengthen its 75-year legacy in India, setting new benchmarks in energy efficiency and underscoring its commitment to technological excellence and sustainable growth.

ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.com

ABB Motion, a global leader in motors and drives, is at the core of accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to contribute to energy efficient, decarbonizing and circular solutions for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services we support our customers and partners to achieve better performance, safety and reliability. To help the world’s industries outrun – leaner and cleaner, we deliver motor-driven solutions for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Building on over 140 years of domain expertise in electric powertrains, our more than 23,000 employees across 100 countries learn and improve every day.

Strengthening its footprint, ABB India is investing over Rs 140 crore to expand and modernize its Low Voltage (LV) motors manufacturing facility in India. This investment comes alongside the launch of IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motors, further cementing India’s key role as a hub for global innovation and technological excellence.“Our strategic investment is not just about building capacity — it’s about reinforcing our long-term vision for India as a key global manufacturing hub,” said Stefan Floeck, President – IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB. “With rising demand for energy-efficient motors, we’re engineering solutions that help customers outrun leaner and cleaner.”The launch of ABB’s IE5 ultra-premium efficiency motors marks a significant milestone in its commitment to industrial energy efficiency and sustainability.With power ratings from 45 kW to 1000 kW, this is India’s first IE5 motor range built on proven induction motor technology—free from rare-earth metals and engineered for high performance and reliability, even in the most demanding industrial environments.Custom-engineered for Indian operating conditions, these motors operate seamlessly on both Direct-On-Line (DOL) and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD), making them ideal for industries such as metals, cement, textiles, pharmaceuticals, food & beverage, and paper.With up to 40% lower energy losses compared to IE3 motors, they deliver faster ROI, reduced total cost of ownership, and a longer operating life.“These motors combine the reliability of proven induction technology with ultra-premium efficiency - without relying on rare-earth metals, said Sanjeev Arora, President – Motion Business & IEC Low Voltage Motors, ABB India. This milestone reflects our commitment to supporting Indian industries with sustainable, high-performance solutions that are built for local conditions and aligned with the nation’s push toward industrial decarbonization.”ABB’s latest launch and investment strengthen its 75-year legacy in India, setting new benchmarks in energy efficiency and underscoring its commitment to technological excellence and sustainable growth.ABB is a global technology leader in electrification and automation, enabling a more sustainable and resource-efficient future. By connecting its engineering and digitalization expertise, ABB helps industries run at high performance, while becoming more efficient, productive and sustainable so they outperform. At ABB, we call this ‘Engineered to Outrun’. The company has over 140 years of history and around 110,000 employees worldwide. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB). www.abb.comABB Motion, a global leader in motors and drives, is at the core of accelerating a more productive and sustainable future. We innovate and push the boundaries of technology to contribute to energy efficient, decarbonizing and circular solutions for customers, industries and societies. With our digitally enabled drives, motors and services we support our customers and partners to achieve better performance, safety and reliability. To help the world’s industries outrun – leaner and cleaner, we deliver motor-driven solutions for a wide range of applications in all industrial segments. Building on over 140 years of domain expertise in electric powertrains, our more than 23,000 employees across 100 countries learn and improve every day.

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