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powercore® traction for e-mobility and high frequencies

For improved efficiency and power density

powercore® traction

Our powercore® traction electrical steel is a highly pure, magnetically soft iron-silicon alloy that is used to guide and concentrate the magnetic flow present in the motor.

The powercore® traction non oriented grades meet the demands of high-performing and efficient drive systems. They are very thin, have homogenous mechanical properties, low remagnetization losses, and high polarization.

Two new electrical steel grades from the powercore® traction product family have recently joined thyssenkrupp Steel's portfolio of materials for particularly energy-efficient electric motors. At just 0.20 mm respectively 0.25 mm, the particularly thin electrical steel strips of type NO20 and NO25 have excellent magnetic properties, high mechanical strength, and are characterized in particular by very low remagnetization core losses – important for use in high-performance traction motors of electric vehicles.

The two new developments are characterized by very low remagnetization core losses of 12.0 respectively 12.5 watts per kilogram. This means we've been able to improve them significantly compared to current reference grades. Of course, the other magnetic parameters of the new grades, for example polarization, also achieve peak values. Sampling and homologation inquiries can be made immediately.

Gets electric mobility rolling: powercore® traction electrical steel

David Pieronek

The electric motor is the heart of the electric vehicle, and electrical steel is indispensable for the electric motor. powercore® traction electrical steel strip has been specially developed and optimized for the high demands of electric mobility. David Pieronek, Product Manager for Electrical Steel at thyssenkrupp Steel Europe, explains what the high-tech material can do, how different motor types and drive systems affect the demands placed on it, and what the consequences are.

1. What is powercore® traction?

Our powercore® traction electrical steel is the logical further development of our non-oriented (NO) electrical steel for the high demands of electric mobility: High efficiency for long ranges, high torque for maximum driving dynamics, and all this under high cost pressure.

2. How does electrical steel strip drive the electric motor?

Our powercore® traction grades are used to build what are referred to as rotors and stators. In the process, our grades amplify and direct the magnetic flux in the coils. Typically, a rotating magnetic field is generated on the outside of the stator, which is followed by the rotor on the inside. However, there are very different motor types and drive philosophies in current electric vehicles. Asynchronous machines and synchronous machines, permanently excited – i.e. with magnets – or separately excited, with single-speed or multiple-speed gearboxes. Each combination results in a different requirement profile for the electrical steel strip. Therefore, powercore® traction also stands for a product family with various different grades. We operate our own motor test bench in our Application Technology department, where we test our powercore® traction grades in the various motor types. This enables us to provide our customers with the best possible advice on selecting the right grade depending on the customer's specific requirements.

3. What properties must the electrical steel strips have for this?

As already mentioned, this depends very much on the respective motor and drive concepts. The trick is to always ideally match the 3 core requirements of low power dissipation, high polarization and mechanical strength to each respective application of our customers, in addition to many other requirements. A basic requirement that always applies is to achieve properties that are as homogeneous as possible over the strip length and width. This applies to the magnetic properties as well as to the mechanical properties and geometric tolerances, which are highly relevant for the die cutting and packaging processes.

New top grades in the e-mobility segment: powercore® traction NGO 020-120Y420

Rotor technology demonstrator

In 2026, thyssenkrupp Steel made an important contribution to a research project conducted by the Chair of Production Engineering of E-Mobility Components (PEM) at RWTH Aachen University and other industry partners: The company provided the newly developed, non-grain-oriented electrical steel strip powercore® traction NGO 020-120Y420 for a stator technology demonstrator – it is ideally suited for highly efficient drive systems in automobiles. It is characterized by excellent processing properties and a strength of Rp0.2 = 420 MPa (guaranteed) with minimal magnetization losses of only 12.0 W/kg (guaranteed at P1 T / 400 Hz). With these values, the newly developed product, manufactured in Germany, is one of the leaders among the grades available in Europe and is therefore top grade in the e-mobility segment.
With the innovative adhesive insulation varnish stabosol®, motor efficiency can be significantly increased once again by preventing mechanical damage to the laminations. Due to the chemical concept of stabosol®, the highest requirements in terms of thermal stability and tightness of the motor packages are also met. Both are of crucial importance for modern traction motors. Like all powercore® NGO grades, 020-120Y420 is also available as CO2-reduced electrical steel bluemint®. This allows the CO2 footprint to be further reduced.

Contact

thyssenkrupp Steel Europe AG

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Strasse 100

47166 Duisburg, Germany

+49 (0)203 52-0

Electrical steel for e-mobility and high frequencies
DIN EN 10303

Steel grade Reference grade­
DIN EN 10303 		Thickness Density Max. Core loss at Min. Polarization at Yield strength


[mm]

[kg/dm3] 		400 Hz
1.0 T
[W/kg] 		2,500 
A/m
[T] 		5,000 
A/m
[T] 		10,000 
A/m
[T] 		Rp0.2
[MPa] min.
powercore® traction NGO 020-120Y420 NO20-13 0.02 7.60 12 1.51 1.60 1.68 420
powercore® traction NGO 020-130Y320 NO20-13 0.20 7.60 13 1.48 1.59 1.69 320
powercore® traction NGO 020-130Y350 NO20-13 0.20 7.60 13 1.48 1.59 1.69 350
powercore® traction NGO 020-150Y320 NO20-15 0.20 7.60 15 1.48 1.59 1.69 320
powercore® traction NGO 025-125Y420 NO25-14 0.25 7.60 12.5 1.52 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 025-130Y420 NO25-14 0.25 7.60 13 1.52 1.61 1.71 420
powercore® traction NGO 027-140Y420 NO27-15 0.27 7.60 14 1.51 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 027-150Y370 NO27-15 0.27 7.60 15 1.52 1.61 1.73 370
powercore® traction NGO 027-150Y420 NO27-15 0.27 7.60 15 1.52 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 027-180Y370 NO27-18 0.27 7.60 18 1.52 1.61 1.73 370
powercore® traction NGO 030-150Y420 NO30-16 0.30 7.60 15 1.52 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 030-160Y420 NO30-16 0.30 7.60 16 1.52 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 032-190Y330 NO35-19 0.32 7.65 19 1.52 1.62 1.74 330
powercore® traction NGO 035-170Y420 NO35-19 0.35 7.60 17 1.52 1.61 1.73 420
powercore® traction NGO 035-180Y400 NO35-19 0.35 7.60 18 1.52 1.61 1.73 400
powercore® traction NGO 035-190Y390 NO35-22 0.35 7.60 19 1.52 1.61 1.73 390
powercore® traction NGO 035-220Y330 NO35-22 0.35 7.65 22 1.52 1.62 1.74 330
powercore® traction NGO 035-220Y300 NO35-22 0.35 7.65 22 1.55 1.64 1.76 300
Rp0.2: Yield strength acc. to DIN EN ISO 6892-1 in rolling direction at room temperature.

Further product information on request.

Range of dimensions

Supply form Thickness [mm] Width [mm] Inside diameter [mm] Outside diameter [mm]
powercore® traction NGO Schmalband 0.25 301-500 508 max. 1,3602
Breiband 0.25 500-1,250 508/610 max. 1,360
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