ZF Shanghai Produces First NEV Reducer

ZF Transmissions Shanghai celebrated a major milestone with the rollout of its first reduction drive for the NEV market. The product will be delivered to one of China’s leading automotive manufacturers, marking a significant step forward in ZF’s localized E-mobility solutions.

Timo Maisel, Senior Vice President of Electrified Powertrain Technology Division, Asia Pacific, ZF Group emphasized that this reducer project was a model of ownership and management by the ZF Asia Pacific team. “From customer nomination and project approval to the successful rollout of the product, the entire process was led and executed by our Asia Pacific team,” he said. “This achievement fully demonstrates the region’s outstanding capabilities in localized R&D, project management, procurement, and manufacturing. It not only reflects ZF Asia Pacific’s technical strength in NEV key components, but also proves our capability to respond quickly and execute efficiently in the local market.”

Founded in 2004, ZF Transmissions Shanghai Co., Ltd. is a joint venture between ZF (China) Investment Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Automobile Gear Works (SAGW). Its business scope includes the production, assembly, testing, application engineering and sales of automatic transmissions and related products and components for passenger cars. The rollout of the reducer for NEV is an important extension of its business to the field of e-mobility.

The project was also highly praised by the JV partner. “The success of the reducer project is inseparable from the cooperation between the two shareholders and the outstanding execution of our professional teams,” said Ye Biao, General Manager of SAGW. “Throughout the project, we demonstrated mutual trust and efficient collaboration. Moving forward, we will continue to strengthen our partnership and drive more technological innovation.” Thomas Walindi, General Manager of ZFTS, added, “This milestone reflects not only a technological breakthrough but also the power of cross-functional teamwork. We expect this product to showcase its strong competitiveness and inject new momentum into the industry.”

The newly launched stand-alone reducer integrates ZF’s global cutting-edge e-drive technologies and local manufacturing strengths. It features high efficiency, low noise, and a compact axial parallel design, meeting the stringent requirements of mainstream NEV platforms in China. With the successful rollout of the first unit, ZFTS will accelerate mass production and continuously improve its delivery capabilities. First vehicle SOP is scheduled in a midsize SUV for the second half of 2025.

ZF, a global leader in the auto parts industry, has always regarded China as a core strategic market. For over 40 years in China, ZF has been committed to its localization strategy, through localized R&D, mass-produced advanced technologies, and in-depth cooperation with local enterprises, to promote the upgrading of the local supply chain and manufacturing system, and deeply involve into the development of China’s automotive industry. In the future, ZF will continue to enhance its innovation capability and services in the Chinese market by leveraging its global innovation network and local partnerships, and to support the electrification transformation of China’s automotive industry.

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