ABB has become the world’s first manufacturer to introduce an IE6 Hyper-Efficiency motor certified for hazardous environments under ATEX and IECEx standards. Designed for Zones 1 and 2, the new IE6 Increased Safety motor is based on ABB’s synchronous reluctance (SynRM) technology and is completely free of magnets and rare earth materials.The company said the latest motor offers up to 60 percent lower energy losses compared to conventional IE3 induction motors widely used in hazardous industries such as chemicals, marine, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals, and food and beverage. The launch is expected to help operators significantly reduce operating costs while meeting stricter sustainability and carbon reduction goals.Certified for operation with variable speed drives (VSDs), the IE6 SynRM motor ensures accurate speed control and maintains high efficiency across the entire operating range, including at partial loads. ABB highlighted that this makes the motor an ideal upgrade solution for pumps, fans and compressors, where energy consumption typically remains high throughout the equipment’s lifecycle.According to ABB estimates, switching a single motor to IE6 technology over a 20-year service life could generate energy savings of up to €87,520, deliver a payback period of around eight months, and help avoid approximately 157,540 kg of CO2 emissions. This reduction is equivalent to emissions from about 37 gasoline-powered passenger cars driven for a year.“In its Energy Efficiency report 2025, the IEA highlights the pressing need to make sustainable technology available as an affordable choice. And that is central to ABB’s own Engineered to Outrun philosophy,” said Stefan Floeck, President IEC LV Motors, ABB. “With the world’s first IE6 Hyper-Efficiency SynRM motor for hazardous areas, we now have the ideal solution for customers who must drive down their operating expenses while meeting stringent sustainability targets.”The new IE6 SynRM Increased Safety motor is available from 110 kW, while IE5 variants are offered up to 90 kW. ABB noted that SynRM motors also provide benefits such as reduced maintenance and improved reliability, along with more cost-effective installation options. In Zone 1 environments, cooler operation may allow customers to replace flameproof motors with increased safety SynRM alternatives, while in Zone 2, higher loadability enables more power output from the same motor size.ABB added that the new IE6 motor strengthens its hazardous-area IEC LV motor portfolio, which also includes IE5 and induction motor solutions up to IE4 efficiency.