To electric vehicle powertrain engineers, motor manufacturers, and automotive supply chain strategists: The performance of EV traction motors – efficiency, power density, torque ripple, and noise – is fundamentally determined by the design and manufacturing quality of stator and rotor cores. Traditional one-piece motor cores face manufacturing limitations for larger diameter motors (200-400 mm), produce significant material waste during stamping, and offer limited design flexibility for advanced motor topologies. The global Split Automotive Motor Cores market delivers modular, segmented, or laminated iron cores manufactured in separate sections or stackable layers that are subsequently assembled into complete motor structures. These split cores enable higher material utilization (reducing scrap by 30-50%), improve motor performance through precise grain orientation, and simplify winding insertion for high slot-fill designs. As EV production scales toward 40-50 million units annually by 2030 and motor efficiency requirements tighten, split automotive motor cores have become the industry standard for high-performance traction motors.
Global Leading Market Research Publisher QYResearch announces the release of its latest report “Split Automotive Motor Cores – Global Market Share and Ranking, Overall Sales and Demand Forecast 2026-2032″. Based on current situation and impact historical analysis (2021-2025) and forecast calculations (2026-2032), this report provides a comprehensive analysis of the global Split Automotive Motor Cores market, including market size, share, demand, industry development status, and forecasts for the next few years.
The global market for Split Automotive Motor Cores was estimated to be worth USD 1,369 million in 2024 and is forecast to a readjusted size of USD 2,726 million by 2031 with a CAGR of 8.2% during the forecast period 2025-2031. In 2024, global production reached approximately 48.1 million units, with an average global market price of approximately USD 28.3 per unit.
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Product Definition: What Are Split Automotive Motor Cores?
Split automotive motor cores refer to modular, segmented, or laminated iron cores used in electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) motors – typically stator and/or rotor cores – that are manufactured in separate sections or stackable layers and then assembled into a complete motor structure.
The split core concept addresses several manufacturing and performance challenges associated with traditional one-piece (monolithic) motor cores. In a conventional motor core, the entire stator lamination stack is stamped as a single ring from electrical steel sheet. This process wastes significant material (the center circle of the stator cannot be used for other components, creating 30-50% scrap). Large diameter stators (250-400 mm) require massive stamping presses (500-2,000 tons) and large die sets (very expensive, long lead times). Winding insertion into closed stator slots is difficult for high copper fill designs (hairpin windings cannot be used with closed slots).
In a split core design, the stator is manufactured as multiple independent segments (typically 6-12 segments per stator) that are assembled into a full ring. Alternatively, the stator core is made from individual laminations stacked to full height, then separated into segments. The rotor core may also be segmented, though split stator cores are more common. The advantages of split core technology include material efficiency: segmented stamping can nest segments more efficiently, reducing scrap to 15-25% (versus 40-50% for one-piece). High slot fill designs (hairpin windings) are enabled because winding can be inserted into open slots before final assembly. Segmented cores allow different grain orientations for different segments (optimizing magnetic flux paths). And lower press tonnage requirements reduce capital investment for motor core manufacturing.
Market Sizing & Growth Trajectory (2024–2031)
According to QYResearch, the global Split Automotive Motor Cores market was valued at USD 1,369 million in 2024 with production of 48.1 million units at an average price of USD 28.3 per unit. The market is projected to reach USD 2,726 million by 2031 – a CAGR of 8.2%. This growth closely tracks global EV production growth (projected 15-20% CAGR through 2030 in terms of vehicle units), with split core penetration increasing as automakers transition from one-piece to segmented designs.
Three growth engines are driving market expansion. First, EV production scaling: global EV sales reached approximately 14 million units in 2024 (17% of total vehicle sales) and are projected to reach 40-50 million units by 2030 (40-50% penetration). Each EV requires 1-2 traction motors (single motor for economy EVs, dual motor for performance/AWD). Second, motor efficiency requirements tightening: regulatory efficiency standards (EU, China, US) and consumer range expectations drive adoption of advanced motor topologies requiring split core construction (permanent magnet synchronous motors with high slot fill, axial flux motors). Third, manufacturing cost reduction: split core manufacturing reduces material waste and enables higher automation, lowering per-unit motor core cost at scale despite higher per-kg material cost for electrical steel.
Segment Deep Dive: By Core Type
The Split Automotive Motor Cores market divides into two primary electrical steel technologies.
Grain-Oriented Silicon Steel Cores account for approximately 75% of market revenue – the dominant segment. Grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) is processed to align crystal grains in the rolling direction, achieving very low core losses when magnetic flux follows the grain direction. In split cores, each segment can be stamped with the grain direction oriented to optimize flux path for that specific stator tooth position, achieving 10-20% lower core losses than non-oriented steel in the same motor design. Advantages include well-established supply chain (major steel mills produce GOES globally), predictable magnetic properties (decades of manufacturing experience), and lower cost than amorphous steel (approximately USD 1.50-2.50 per kg). Grain-oriented cores are used in the majority of EV traction motors today (permanent magnet synchronous motors, induction motors).
Amorphous Steel Cores account for approximately 25% of market revenue and are the fastest-growing segment (12% CAGR). Amorphous metal (metallic glass) is produced by rapid solidification (cooling rates of 1 million degrees Celsius per second), creating a non-crystalline atomic structure with very high electrical resistivity and extremely low core losses (80-90% lower than grain-oriented steel at high frequencies). Advantages include superior efficiency (1-3% motor efficiency improvement, significant for EV range), extremely low high-frequency losses (enables higher switching frequencies, smaller inverters), and thinner material (0.02-0.03 mm vs. 0.20-0.35 mm for steel, enabling more compact motors). Challenges include material brittleness (difficult to stamp, requires laser cutting or special tooling), higher material cost (approximately USD 5-10 per kg), and lower saturation flux density (limiting peak torque). Amorphous steel cores are used in premium EV motors where efficiency is prioritized over peak power (certain Tesla, Lucid, and European OEM motors). As amorphous steel stamping and processing technology matures, adoption is expected to increase.
Segment Deep Dive: By Vehicle Type
The market serves two primary vehicle segments. Passenger Cars account for approximately 85% of market revenue – the dominant segment. Includes battery electric vehicles (BEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). Passenger EV motors typically range from 100 kW to 300 kW peak power. Stator diameters range from 200 mm to 350 mm. Split core designs are standard for passenger EV motors due to hairpin winding requirements (high slot fill for power density) and volume production economics. ASP for passenger car split motor cores: USD 25-40 per unit depending on size and material (amorphous steel premium). Leading passenger EV split core suppliers include Nidec, Denso, Bosch Rexroth, and Changying Xinzhi.
Commercial Vehicles account for approximately 15% of market revenue, growing at 10% CAGR (faster than passenger). Includes electric trucks, buses, and vans. Commercial EV motors are larger (200-500 kW peak power for trucks, 100-300 kW for buses) with larger stator diameters (350-500 mm). Split core manufacturing is even more advantageous for large diameter stators (greater material savings, lower press requirements). ASP for commercial vehicle split motor cores: USD 50-150 per unit depending on size. Suppliers include Siemens, ABB, Continental, and Dongfeng Electric Drive Systems.
Industry Layer Analysis – Passenger EV Motors vs. Commercial Vehicle Motors Divergence
A critical distinction often absent in standard market research reports is the contrasting split motor core requirements between high-volume passenger EV motors (cost-sensitive, moderate diameters) and lower-volume commercial vehicle motors (performance-focused, large diameters).
Passenger EV motors prioritize cost reduction at scale and high-volume manufacturability. Split core designs must be compatible with automated assembly lines producing 100,000-500,000 motors annually. Grain-oriented steel is preferred due to lower material cost and established stamping processes. Key purchase criteria include lowest landed cost (material + stamping + assembly), high yield (scrap rate under 2%), and compatibility with automated winding insertion. Suppliers with in-house stamping and assembly (Nidec, Denso, Mitsui High-tec) lead this segment.
Commercial vehicle motors prioritize performance and durability over per-unit cost. Motor diameters are larger (400-600 mm), making split core manufacturing nearly mandatory (one-piece stamping would require 1,000-3,000 ton presses, extremely expensive). Amorphous steel may be justified for efficiency gains (commercial vehicles drive more annual kilometers than passenger cars, so efficiency savings accumulate faster). Key purchase criteria include low core losses for efficiency, robust mechanical construction for heavy-duty cycles, and design flexibility (custom segment geometry). Suppliers with amorphous steel processing capability (Voestalpine, Waelzholz, SWD AG) lead this segment.
Recent Technical & Policy Developments (Last 6 Months)
On the technology front, laser welding of split core segments has replaced mechanical interlocking (dovetail joints) in premium motor designs. Laser welding (introduced by Nidec and Bosch in 2025) provides stronger segment-to-segment joints (reducing vibration and noise), eliminates assembly gaps that reduce magnetic performance, and enables thinner segment walls (higher slot fill). However, laser welding adds capital cost (laser welding stations at USD 200,000-500,000 per assembly line) and cycle time (3-5 seconds per weld).
On the material science front, thin-gauge amorphous steel (0.015 mm thickness) was commercialized by Hitachi Metals and Proterial (formerly Hitachi Metals) in Q4 2025. The thinner material achieves 15-20% lower core losses than standard 0.025 mm amorphous steel, enabling motor efficiency improvements of 0.5-1.0 percentage points. However, handling and stamping difficulties increase (material is extremely brittle, prone to edge cracking), requiring specialized tooling and process control. Early adoption is limited to premium EV applications (Lucid, high-end European OEMs).
On the manufacturing front, Changying Xinzhi announced (January 2026) a USD 150 million expansion of its split motor core production capacity, including a new factory in Mexico to serve North American EV customers (Tesla, GM, Ford). The expansion adds capacity for 10 million split core units annually by 2028 (approximately 20% of projected North American EV motor demand).
User Case Example – Hairpin Winding Motor for Mass-Market EV
A mass-market EV platform (target annual production 500,000 vehicles) transitioned from one-piece stator cores to 8-segment split stator cores for its 150 kW rear-drive unit motor in 2025. The one-piece stator (360 mm outer diameter) required a 1,200-ton press for stamping and produced 48% material scrap. Winding insertion was limited to round wire (80% slot fill). After transitioning to 8-segment split cores, stamping press requirement reduced to 400 tons (67% reduction). Material scrap reduced to 22% (saving 2.5 kg of electrical steel per stator, approximately USD 5 per unit). Hairpin winding with 92% slot fill became possible, increasing motor peak torque by 12% and continuous power by 8% without increasing motor size. Total split core cost (material + stamping + assembly + welding): USD 32 per unit versus USD 28 per unit for one-piece (14% increase). Motor performance improvement and manufacturing flexibility justified the cost increase for the mass-market platform.
Exclusive Observation – The “Motor Core as a Service” Vertical Integration Trend
An emerging trend not yet captured in most market size projections is the vertical integration of split motor core manufacturing into EV OEMs and tier-one motor suppliers, moving away from independent core stampers. Three major EV OEMs (Tesla, BYD, and a European premium OEM, source confidential) have brought split motor core stamping and assembly in-house between 2024 and 2026. Rationale includes control over motor performance (core losses directly impact vehicle range and battery cost), supply chain security (electrical steel supply is concentrated, especially for amorphous grades), and cost reduction at scale (high-volume production makes in-house stamping economical).
For independent split core suppliers (Mitsui High-tec, Kuroda Precision, Changying Xinzhi, Yuma Lamination), this vertical integration trend represents both risk and opportunity. Risk: OEMs may reduce outsourcing as they bring core production in-house. Opportunity: OEMs may outsource non-core (lower volume) motor programs or specialty core types (amorphous, thin-gauge) to independent suppliers while focusing internal capacity on high-volume standard cores. Suppliers that develop differentiated capabilities (amorphous steel processing, laser welding assembly, design-for-manufacturability engineering) will be better positioned to capture value from OEM customers. Suppliers that compete primarily on cost (commodity grain-oriented stamping) face margin pressure.
Segment by Type
- Grain-oriented
- Amorphous Steel Cores
Segment by Application
- Passenger Cars
- Commercial Vehicles
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