Global electrical and automation giant ABB has recently announced a historic breakthrough in its newly developed motors and generators under the "Top Industrial Efficiency" (TIE) program, achieving an energy efficiency rating of 99.13% and shattering its own world record for large synchronous motors. This milestone not only opens new pathways for cost reduction and carbon emission cuts in energy-intensive industries like steelmaking but also underscores the industrial sector's accelerated push toward a "net-zero future."

Filling the Energy Efficiency Gap: Targeting Industrial Decarbonization Pain Points
Large motors above three megawatts account for less than 5% of the global industrial motor fleet but consume approximately 25% of motion-related energy. ABB's previous record of 99.05% efficiency, set in 2017, had long led the industry, and this latest achievement raises the benchmark from the average efficiency range of 98.2%-98.5% for similar equipment to unprecedented heights. Brandon Spencer, President of ABB Motion, stated, "The TIE program precisely addresses the international gap in energy efficiency standards for large motors. By combining a century of technical expertise with AI-driven digitalization, we are redefining the performance boundaries of industrial equipment."

Efficiency Revolution: Technical Breakthroughs and Commercial Value
The record-breaking motor, already en route to an Indian steel plant, will power an air separation unit (ASU) to supply oxygen for steelmaking processes. Test data reveals that compared to industry-standard 98.64% efficient models, this motor delivers:

• 6.1 billion kWh of energy savings over a 25-year lifecycle, equivalent to four days of full-load output from the world's largest offshore wind farm;
• $5.9 million in reduced electricity costs, with even greater savings in regions with high energy prices;
• 45,000 tons of avoided CO2 emissions, equivalent to taking 10,000 cars off the road for a year.
  ABB highlights that every 0.1% efficiency gain requires overcoming exponential technical challenges in materials, electromagnetism, and thermodynamics. This success demonstrates ABB's capability to push motor efficiency from "practical limits" toward theoretical maxima.

From Product Innovation to Ecosystem Enablement: ABB's Low-Carbon Industrial Ecosystem
As a global leader in motors and drives, ABB Motion is driving industrial transformation through three strategic pillars:

1. Technological Advancement: From energy-efficient low-voltage/high-voltage motors to AI-powered predictive maintenance systems, covering sectors like industrial drives, renewable energy, and rail transport;
2. Lifecycle Management: Optimizing motor efficiency curves via digital tools to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) by 30%;
3. Ecosystem Collaboration: Deep partnerships with high-carbon industries like steelmaking and chemicals, exemplified by elevating ASU efficiency to 99.13% to directly decarbonize steelmaking processes.

Founded in 1988 through the merger of Sweden's ASEA and Switzerland's BBC, ABB is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, with operations in over 100 countries and 110,000 employees worldwide. Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB), its businesses span electrification, automation, robotics, and discrete manufacturing, providing end-to-end solutions—from design to operation—for energy, transportation, manufacturing, and other pivotal sectors.

In the global race to carbon neutrality, ABB is leveraging its "efficiency revolution" to transform industrial equipment performance into both a corporate profit driver and a societal decarbonization tool. This breakthrough in energy efficiency signifies more than technical prowess—it heralds an industry-wide paradigm shift from "passive emission cuts" to "proactive efficiency gains."