ABB offers first magnet-free IE6 motor for hazardous areas

Sweden – Motors and drives specialist ABB says it is the world’s first manufacturer to offer an IE6 motor certified to ATEX and IECEx requirements for use in hazardous areas. 

The new IE6 Increased safety motor, based on ABB’s magnet- and rare earth- free synchronous reluctance (SynRM) technology, offers up to 60% lower energy losses than the IE3 induction motors commonly used in Zones 1 and 2. This is said to enable operators to realise a major boost in energy efficiency and avoid carbon emissions in industries where gas, vapour or dust might be present, such as chemicals, marine, oil & gas, pharmaceuticals and food & beverage.

The IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor is certified for use with variable speed drives (VSDs) to offer accurate control and high efficiency throughout the whole speed range, even at partial loads. This makes it the ideal upgrade for standard IE3 induction motors in pumps, fans and compressors. Over a typical 20-year service life, the energy savings from switching just one motor up to IE6 would be €87,520¹, resulting in an eight-month payback period with 157,540 kg CO₂ avoided: equivalent to 37 petrol-powered passenger cars driven for a year.

“In its Energy Efficiency report 2025, the IEA highlights the pressing need to make sustainable technology available as an affordable choice. And that is central to ABB’s own Engineered to Outrun philosophy,” said Stefan Floeck, President IEC LV Motors, ABB. “With the world’s first IE6 Hyper‑Efficiency SynRM motor for hazardous areas, we now have the ideal solution for customers who must drive down their operating expenses while meeting stringent sustainability targets.”

The new IE6 SynRM Increased safety motor covers ratings from 110kW, with IE5 versions available for up to 90kW. As well as increased reliability and reduced maintenance, SynRM technology enables a more cost-effective installation. In Zone 1, cooler running can allow the use of an Increased safety SynRM motor where a Flameproof motor with a special enclosure would be the traditional choice. Furthermore, in Zone 2, the improved loadability of SynRM motors enables more power from the same size as an equivalent induction motor. This could enable a smaller, lower-cost motor to fulfil the same duty.

To learn more about ABB’s IE6 SynRM motors for hazardous areas, click here.

^{1 Based on a 110kW motor operating 8,760 hours/year at 75% average load, with an assumed energy cost of €0.20/kWh.}