By Abhilash. U & T. Murrali
The Fluid Systems and Thermal Management division of the Japanese major Nidec showcased a range of innovative pump solutions for commercial vehicles, alongside new chassis, comfort, and drivetrain technologies including a steer-by-wire hand wheel actuator, one of its newest innovations on display.
Besides its established water and oil pumps, including a combined water-and-oil pump module that mounts directly onto the engine, the company showed several newer products. One was a switchable variable water pump for commercial vehicles. Speaking to this publication, Mr. Martin Röder, Technical Sales & Product Management, (Platform: Fluid Systems & Thermal Management), Nidec AMEC, explained that the pump has a clutch that disconnects it from the engine when cooling isn’t needed, such as during warm-up. This helps the engine reach its working temperature faster, which saves fuel and cuts CO2 emissions. It works on much the same principle as the viscous fan drive used on radiators.
The company also showcased an electric water pump built specifically for electric trucks, rated at 650 watts. While it operates at lower temperatures than conventional engine pumps, it’s engineered for a dramatically longer lifespan, targeting 65,000 hours of operation compared to roughly 15,000 hours for a typical commercial truck pump, a critical requirement given the added stress on seals and bearings over such an extended lifetime. The product remains at the B-sample development stage, with the company confident in its readiness.
Another innovation, the ECF HD (Electrically Controlled Flow) pump, offers a different mechanical approach to controlling coolant flow. Unlike the clutch-based system, this pump uses a continuously rotating belt paired with a small electrically actuated metal element that can cover the pump’s impeller to stop flow when needed. Its key advantage lies in packaging, offering a more compact footprint on the engine compared to alternative designs.
Rounding out its pump line-up, Nidec presented an immersion cooling pump for electric vehicle batteries. It circulates a non-conductive fluid, about as runny as water, that can flow directly over the battery cells, cooling them right where the heat is produced. Because this fluid would damage standard seals and O-rings, the pump uses special sealing materials. Nidec highlighted its compact design as a key advantage, with a power rating of just 450 watts.
Beyond thermal and fluid systems, Nidec also showcased its broader chassis motor portfolio, including traditional ABS/ESC motors, a second-generation two-box electric brake booster, a one-box brake solution, and its newest highlight, an electromechanical brake system. The company also introduced its active suspension portfolio for the first time, including air suspension, active suspension, and active stabilising bar components.
On drivetrain and steering, the company displayed DCT motors, multi-function actuators, and a range of steering motors, including column-type EPS, rack-type EPS, and power-pack EPS systems, alongside its newest steering innovation: a steer-by-wire direct-drive hand wheel actuator.
In its comfort product line, Nidec showcased motors for seats, sunroofs, seat recliners, doors, and sunshades, along with steering column adjusters available in both brushed and brushless variants, closely linked to its steer-by-wire technology. The company noted a broader shift across its comfort portfolio toward brushless (BLDC) motor technology, replacing traditionally brushed motors, for applications including sunroofs and steering column adjusters, with plans to extend this brushless technology across other platforms and applications as well.
Finally, Nidec highlighted its belt starter generator and integrated starter generator (ISG) offerings, providing both starter and rotor components across different voltage configurations.
Steps Up in India
Nidec is getting ready for a bigger role in India. The Japanese motor and components maker plans to invest more in its facility at Neemrana in India, to add pumps business to its existing cooling-fan operations and strengthening its local research and sales teams. Mr. Röder said the company already produces and supplies cooling fans in India through its fluid systems and thermal business. The next step is pumps.
Ms. Julia Bretschneider, Marketing Specialist at Nidec, said the company’s presence in India has so far been fairly limited, centred mainly on drivetrain production. That is now changing. “We are starting now really to go and invest more in the Indian market,” she said, adding that Nidec is building up both its R&D and sales capabilities in the country.
The push into India comes as the vehicle itself is changing. Software-defined vehicles are moving key functions such as braking and steering from mechanical links to electronic control. Ms. Bretschneider said the whole industry is preparing for this shift, and Nidec wants to be among the first to produce electromechanical brakes for brake-by-wire systems, along with components for steer-by-wire.
Looking ahead three to five years, Mr. Röder described a two-track plan. On one side, carmakers are still updating their combustion-engine platforms to meet tougher CO2 rules. For Nidec, that usually means the same products with small changes. On the other side, the company has already started making products specifically for battery electric vehicles and plans to keep building on them. He also shared a rough picture of the fluid systems business. About 10% comes from the aftermarket and around 15% from trucks, with passenger cars making up the rest.