Klüber presents high-performance lubrication solutions for e-mobility

By Staff Report June 18, 2025 6:50 pm IST

Klüber Lubrication India offers advanced speciality lubricants tailored for electric vehicles, addressing unique NVH, wear, and performance challenges.

With electric and hybrid vehicles becoming more mainstream and autonomous vehicles awaiting a grand roll-out, the automotive industry has been under considerable pressure from governments and society to pursue a more sustainable growth model. Klüber Lubrication India understands that this transition also brings with it demanding consumer expectations on ride comfort and safety standards. So, in cooperation with various partners from science and industry, Klüber has developed innovative speciality lubricants to bring new solutions to the market that would make electric mobility highly efficient.

Lubrication challenges in electric vehicles

As the automotive industry moves towards electric vehicles to address the need for cleaner mobility, it faces a new set of lubrication requirements different from traditional ICE vehicles. OEMS developing parts and assemblies for EVS in the two-wheeler/three-wheeler and passenger vehicle segment are extremely particular about curbing unwanted noise, vibration, electric erosion, and other similar challenges. This host of issues cannot be tackled using traditional lubricants.

Klüber Lubrication – Helping put new mobility solutions on the fast track

Klüber speciality lubricants are made with high-quality raw materials and special additives that are dynamically light with low friction properties, making them the most suitable option for the industry. Several components in EVs are made from plastics like POM / PAM / PA6 or Delrin to reduce weight. Klüber Lubrication ensures that its EV lubricants are compatible with the polymers mentioned above. 

Although many standard applications remain the same in ICE and EV vehicles, several moving parts have become redundant in EVs. These include the powertrain, propeller shaft, starter motor, and water pump, among others, thus making noise and vibration control one of the most challenging issues faced by EV OEMs. Similarly, the brake judder and squeal, suspension, and steering ride comfort also require high-performance lubricants to avoid the issues above. Klüber speciality lubricants are specifically designed to overcome such NVH issues, having proven industry experience to meet these stringent requirements. 

Also, with the development of EVs, it is visible that a few unconventional applications like charging gun actuators, throttle positioning sensors, and combi brake systems, among others, where traditional lubricants cannot fulfil OEM requirements. Klüber India is currently working with OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers to understand these requirements, suggest suitable lubricants from our products, and initiate new developments if needed. 

A few of the application references and their consequent development processes are outlined below: 

Charging gun actuator (Solenoid actuator): The current OEM requirement is to develop a charging gun with a toggle mechanism that helps to lock it in the vehicle for faster and more efficient charging. Over a sustained usage period, this toggle mechanism undergoes wear, making it loose, which results in slow charging.  Klüber India has developed a suitable lubricant that eliminates wear to overcome this issue. Application of a minuscule amount of this speciality grease prevents the dreaded slow charging issue. 

Throttle Positioning Sensor: In ICEs, the speed and throttle are controlled by wire through a butterfly valve. In EVs, the speed of a vehicle is controlled by controlling the current / voltage fed to the motor, which in turn is controlled by a suitable variable frequency drive fitted in a 2W handle.  Klüber India has developed an efficient di-electric grease that prevents excess electrical discharge and is entirely compatible with plastics to meet this demanding requirement.

• Combi Brake System: An electric vehicle’s requirement of a braking system is quite different from the conventional design, as an EV requires a suitable brake with minimal judder and squeal. Moreover, it should deliver optimal braking efficiency without any skid or heating of components and provide regenerative braking. To target and overcome this challenge, Klüber India has developed a suitable moly-based grease that provides optimum performance and avoids wear in braking sub-assembly components.
• High-performance lubricant for electric drive train: EV powertrain requires high performance, efficiency, and low power consumption to improve the overall mileage (km/charge). To this end, Klüber Lubrication has developed a fully synthetic high-performance gear oil based on polyalphaolefin (PAO), which offers high shear stability and protection. The excellent shear stability of the synthetic base oil ensures sufficient lubricating film thickness even under high loads. Due to the excellent ageing and oxidation stability of the synthetic base oil, oil change intervals are much longer than with mineral oils, thus reducing maintenance costs. Similarly, Klüber has suitable greases for electrical traction motors that reduce electrical erosion and ionic discharges.

Why choose Klüber for e-Mobility?

Klüber Lubrication offers an extensive portfolio of efficient solutions tailored to meet the most challenging requirements. The existing lubricants are constantly evolving, particularly in terms of temperature, long-term stability, higher loads, and increasingly stringent efficiency requirements. When creating custom solutions, Klüber Lubrication draws on decades of proven and practical experience in the automotive industry.

Global Contact:

Sudha. P

Senior Executive – Business Support

Toll-Free Number: 18001237686

Fax: +91 8066901201

Phone: +91 8066901200

Email: marketing@in.klueber.com