Automotive Axle Market Report

The market for automotive axles is expected to rise with the rising number of products launched in the automotive axle market. For instance, AVL a world-leading technology company specializing in development and testing in the automotive industry launched a new product for 40-ton trucks. A specialized axle for 40-ton trucks will transform the automotive axle market because load capacity, safety, and fuel efficiency will be maximally enhanced. In addition to this, axles would be strengthened with new materials and engineering techniques so that they can withstand the stresses of heavy loads better. This will reduce the wear and tear of vehicles and thus provide a longer lifetime. This, consequently, results in fewer trips for the transport companies and means lower operational costs and lower carbon emissions for the same tons transported.

Additionally, the adoption of such axles can spur innovations in vehicle design and manufacturing processes, and the market will advance toward the durability and efficiency of components. With tighter standards for freight transport, these axles will hopefully find a great market. In this way, manufacturers investing in this technology stand at the forefront of this new automotive landscape.

The automotive axles market faces a major challenge regarding breaking axles due to overloading. Automotive axles are critical components handling specific weight and stress loads. Overloading pushes them beyond limits, increasing tension and material weakness. Friction generates imbalance from excessive load disrupts structural integrity, compounding failure risk, weakens the axle material, and risks a bend. Imbalance from excessive load disrupts structural integrity, compounding failure risk. Overloading can cause axles to crack, bend, or break, compromising safety and requiring costly repairs. Also, some problems such as fluid leaking, noise, and vibration are common challenges in automotive axles, caused by faulty seals, gear whine, and high-frequency vibrations. Regular inspection, proper seal installation, precision engineering, and effective lubrication are key to preventing damage and ensuring reliable performance, which adds a huge amount of cost. Thus, overloading and fluid leaking, noise, and vibration pose significant challenges for the growth of the automotive axle market.

In July 2024, Lopal Tech launched the “World Brand China Lopal – Lopal New Energy Commercial Vehicle Drive Axle Oil New Product Launch Conference” at its Tianjin, China, manufacturing facility on June 28. The event saw participation from numerous industry experts and partners who gathered to discuss the development trends in the new energy commercial vehicle industry. The highlight of the event was the launch of three new drive axle oil products specifically designed for new energy commercial vehicles. With China’s ambitious goals of achieving carbon peak and carbon neutrality, industries across the board explored green development initiatives. The new energy vehicle sector emerged as a significant force in this electric vehicle (EV) revolution. In October 2023, ZF presented the next generation of its electric axle drives for public transportation at the Busworld 2023 in Brussels.

The new AxTrax 2 LF was specifically designed for low-floor city buses. Series production was scheduled to kick off in 2025. The AxTrax 2 LF was offered in two variants with continuous power outputs of 260 kW and 360 kW and peak torques of 22,700 Nm and 37,300 Nm. Both variants fit in the same installation space as the predecessor AxTrax AVE. The new axle was thus fully compatible with ZF's air suspension and wheel-end solutions. Both variants had an integrated electric wheel hub drive and offered single-speed operation, making them suitable for city buses that generally drove at lower speeds and made frequent stops. The more powerful variant (360 kW) was said to provide buses with a climbing ability of 20 percent, even for articulated buses of up to 29 tons with one driven axle.

Asia Pacific can be considered a lucrative market due to the rising production of cars and commercial vehicles. Various countries of Asia Pacific are becoming major automotive hubs, driven by both local consumption and export opportunities. According to the report of the International Organization of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers, out of the top five global vehicle manufacturers, four are Asia Pacific countries. As per the data in 2023, China tops the list of global production of cars and commercial vehicles and has combined produced 30 million units, followed by Japan, which holds the third rank and annually produces 8.9 million units. India held the fourth rank and produced a total of 5.8 million units, while South Korea secured the fifth rank and produced 4.2 million units. This makes the Asia-Pacific region promising for the automotive axle market.

Also, Europe can be considered a lucrative market due to the rising production of passenger cars. As per the data of Association des Constructeurs Européens d’Automobiles, 19% of the worldwide passenger cars were produced in Europe for the year 2011-2022 as per the data 13.3 million cars were produced in Europe for the year 2022. Thus, due to this the rising worldwide passenger car production in Europe makes it a promising market.