Application of ball screws in new energy vehicles
Aug 25, 2025
The role of the ball screw is to achieve "precise, efficient, and fast electronically controlled linear motion," serving as a critical bridge between electrical signals and physical action. Its role is specifically reflected in the following aspects:
1. Core Role: Enabling Electronic Control and Replacing Traditional Systems
The core characteristics of new energy vehicles are electronic control and intelligence, requiring electrical signals to control all physical movements. The ball screw serves as a perfect replacement for traditional hydraulic and pneumatic systems, becoming an ideal electronically controlled actuator.
Traditional vehicles use hydraulic and vacuum assist systems.
New energy vehicles use a combination of motors and ball screws, directly generating precise linear force and motion through electrical energy.
2. Three Key Roles
[Intelligent Safety Actuator] - Primarily in electronic braking and steer-by-wire systems
Function: Instantly converts electrical signals from the brake pedal or autonomous driving computer into tangible braking or steering force.
Value: Response speeds far exceed those of hydraulic systems (in the millisecond range), providing the fast and precise execution necessary for advanced automated driving systems (ADAS), directly impacting driving safety.
[Energy Regeneration Amplifier] - Primarily used in electronically controlled braking systems
Function: Enables extremely precise control of brake pad clamping force, achieving seamless and perfect coordination between friction braking and electric motor-generated regenerative braking.
Value: Maximizes braking energy recovery, converting it into electricity and charging it back into the battery, directly increasing the vehicle's range. This is difficult to achieve with ordinary hydraulic braking systems.
[Ride Comfort Regulator] - Primarily used in active suspension systems
Function: Based on road conditions and driving mode, the motor-driven ball screw quickly and precisely adjusts shock absorber damping or air suspension height.
Value: Enhances vehicle comfort, stability, and handling, achieving a "magic carpet"-like ride, while also lowering the vehicle at high speeds to save energy.
Conclusion:
In new energy vehicles, the ball screw is far more than a simple mechanical component; it is a key enabling technology. By providing efficient and precise linear motion, it helps new energy vehicles achieve smarter driving, longer battery life, more comfortable experience and simpler design. It is one of the indispensable core components for new energy vehicles to move towards higher levels of electrification and intelligence.
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