On average, small, low-power AC motors (e.g., for home appliances) may cost between $30 to $150. Industrial-grade motors with higher power outputs can range from $200 to over $1,000.
Motor Brands
ABB’s IE4 energy-efficient AC motor is 15% more efficient than the IE2 standard motor, saving around 2,000 kWh for 1,000 hours of operation. ABB motors have an average lifespan of 50,000 hours, which is twice that of regular brands, and are typically priced between 10,000 to 50,000 RMB.
Siemens offers a highly efficient 6-pole motor with a power range of 7.5 kW to 355 kW, achieving an efficiency of over 94%. Using Siemens motors, companies have reduced energy costs by 5% within a year, saving approximately 150,000 RMB in electricity. The initial cost of these motors ranges from 15,000 to 80,000 RMB, with a return on investment period of 2 to 3 years.
Nanyang’s YBX3 series explosion-proof motor, designed to meet national Ex d IIB T4 standards, can operate in extreme environments of up to 60°C for 2,000 hours without failure. The price of this motor ranges from 8,000 to 20,000 RMB, and in an oil field application, Nanyang’s explosion-proof motor has a failure rate of only 0.5%, while international brands have a failure rate of 0.3%.
Wolong Electric produces a 3 kW motor priced at around 3,200 RMB, which is 40% less than foreign equivalents. It operates at a noise level below 65 dB and has been ISO 9001 certified. In practice, Wolong motors require maintenance every 3 years, with an average annual cost of about 500 RMB.
Toshiba offers a high-performance motor with a power range of 22 kW to 200 kW, featuring a patented anti-vibration design that reduces amplitude by 20%. After using Toshiba motors, an electronics manufacturer reduced downtime by 30% and increased production efficiency by 15%. These motors are priced between 20,000 and 60,000 RMB.
GE has launched a wind turbine motor with an efficiency of over 96%, ideal for renewable energy projects. This motor has a power range of 500 kW to 2 MW, with a price range of 500,000 to 3,000,000 RMB. In a wind farm case, GE motors increased the project’s energy generation efficiency by 12%, creating an additional revenue of around 20 million RMB annually.
Delta’s 1.5 kW small AC motor is priced at about 1,200 RMB and has an average lifespan of 20,000 hours, 1.5 times longer than typical household motors. It requires only an annual oil change, costing under 100 RMB.
Midea has introduced a smart inverter motor for HVAC systems with a power rating of 2.2 kW, priced around 2,500 RMB. This motor uses built-in sensors and IoT technology to achieve 20% energy savings. The demand for smart motors is growing at a rate of 18%, and it is expected to capture a larger market share over the next five years.
Motor Power
A 3 kW small motor typically operates at 1,500 RPM with a rated current of 6.3 A and an efficiency of about 85%. A small food processing factory using a 3 kW motor, operating 4,000 hours annually, consumes about 12,000 kWh of electricity, costing about 9,600 RMB (at 0.8 RMB per kWh).
For medium-sized motors, a 15 kW motor is common, with a rated current of 28 A and an efficiency of 92%. A chemical company using a 15 kW motor in its production line has a power consumption of 15 kWh per hour per device, operating 8,000 hours annually, which totals 120,000 kWh. This saves about 24,000 RMB annually compared to less efficient motors.
75 kW motors are often used in large industrial equipment, with a rated current of 145 A and efficiency over 95%. A mining company’s ore selection equipment using a 75 kW motor consumes 75 kWh per hour, operating 5,000 hours annually, with a total consumption of 375,000 kWh. This results in approximately 50,000 RMB savings in maintenance costs annually.
A 500 kW ultra-large industrial motor with a rated current of 900 A and an efficiency of 96%. A large steel plant’s 500 kW motor runs 24 hours a day for 300 days annually, consuming 3.6 million kWh. The initial cost is around 500,000 RMB, but it has a lifespan of 10 years, saving 360,000 RMB in electricity costs annually.
In pump and fan systems, an 11 kW motor with a rated current of 21 A and efficiency of 90% is commonly used. A city’s wastewater treatment plant uses an 11 kW motor to run its lift pumps for 20 hours a day, consuming about 220 kWh daily, which totals 80,000 kWh annually, costing 64,000 RMB in electricity.
For home and small commercial equipment, a 1.5 kW motor with a rated current of 2.8 A and efficiency of about 80% is common. A user’s air conditioner using a 1.5 kW motor runs 8 hours daily during the summer for 3 months, consuming 1,080 kWh annually, which costs around 864 RMB. This saves about 10% in electricity consumption.
For variable frequency drive systems, a 37 kW motor with a rated current of 70 A and efficiency of 94% is often used. An industrial automation factory uses a 37 kW motor to drive a production line, operating 7,000 hours annually, consuming 259,000 kWh. This saves 30,000 RMB annually compared to traditional fixed-speed motors, providing a 15% energy saving.
In agricultural irrigation systems, a 22 kW motor with a rated current of 40 A and efficiency of 91% is typically used. A farm uses the 22 kW motor for irrigation for 2,000 hours annually, consuming about 44,000 kWh annually, costing 35,200 RMB in electricity. This is 30% less than using a diesel-powered pump.
A 55 kW motor is used in large cold storage systems, with a rated current of 105 A and efficiency up to 95%. A cold storage facility runs this motor for 16 hours a day during peak summer, consuming about 264,000 kWh monthly, costing 210,000 RMB in electricity. This improves refrigeration efficiency by 10%.
For high-speed equipment such as cutting machines or centrifuges, a 5.5 kW motor with a rated current of 10.5 A and efficiency of 88% is common. A cutting machine using this motor runs for 10 hours a day, consuming about 1,650 kWh monthly, costing about 1,320 RMB in electricity.
Motor Materials
Common materials used in motors include silicon steel sheets, copper, aluminum, insulation materials, and rare earth magnets. For example, silicon steel sheets account for about 30%-50% of a motor’s total weight. The thickness of these sheets is usually 0.35 mm or 0.5 mm, and a 100 kW high-efficiency motor typically requires about 200 kg of silicon steel sheets. Higher-grade silicon steel reduces losses by about 15%, improving motor efficiency by 2%-3%.
Copper is the main material used for motor windings. Copper’s resistivity is about 40% lower than that of aluminum, and motors with copper windings are generally 5% more efficient than those with aluminum windings. A 5 kW small motor typically requires 10 kg of copper wire, while larger motors may need over 100 kg of copper.
Aluminum is widely used for rotors and housings in medium and small motors. Its density is 2.7 g/cm³, about one-third that of steel, making it much lighter. A 15 kW aluminum-housed motor weighs about 50 kg, while a similarly powered steel-housed motor typically weighs over 70 kg. The price of aluminum is around 20,000 RMB per ton, making it popular in cost-sensitive applications.
Common insulation materials include polyester film and epoxy resin. For example, polyester film usually has a thermal rating of B (130°C) or F (155°C), allowing the motor to run in high-temperature environments for over 5,000 hours. Epoxy resin is commonly used for winding impregnation, and a 30 kW motor typically requires 2 kg of epoxy resin, with the price of resin around 40 RMB per kg.
Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets have a magnetic energy product of 40-50 MGOe, which is more than 10 times that of conventional ferrite. A 200 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor typically requires 10 kg of rare earth material, offering 97% efficiency, about 5% higher than traditional motors. NdFeB magnets are currently priced around 500,000 RMB per ton.
Steel, such as 45 steel, is important for motor housings and bearings. Its tensile strength is 600 MPa. For an 11 kW motor, the shaft typically has a diameter of 40 mm, length of 300 mm, and weight of about 10 kg, with a cost of around 200 RMB.
High-quality lubricants can operate within a temperature range of -40°C to 150°C, with a service life of up to 3 years. For a medium-sized motor, the cost of replacing lubricants is about 50 RMB per change, with two changes per year, totaling an annual maintenance cost of about 100 RMB.
Ceramic bearings have 60% the density of steel bearings, are capable of withstanding temperatures up to 1,000°C, and offer superior corrosion resistance. In high-speed railway traction motors, ceramic bearings last 10 years, compared to 5 years for traditional steel bearings. A set of ceramic bearings costs around 5,000 RMB.
Carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) has 20% the density of steel but 3 times its strength. In aerospace applications, CFRP used for motor housings can reduce weight by 50%. CFRP costs around 300,000 RMB per ton, but its energy-saving and weight-reduction effects are significant.
Motor Efficiency
A 5 kW three-phase asynchronous motor typically operates with an efficiency between 85%-90%. If the efficiency is improved from 85% to 90%, the energy consumption per hour decreases from 5.88 kWh to 5.56 kWh, saving 0.32 kWh per hour. Assuming the motor runs 8 hours per day for 300 days per year, the total energy savings would be 768 kWh, resulting in an annual electricity cost saving of approximately 614 RMB (at 0.8 RMB per kWh).
A 250 kW motor with an efficiency of 95% consumes 263 kWh per hour. If the efficiency drops to 92%, the energy consumption increases to 271.7 kWh per hour, leading to an additional 8.7 kWh per hour. For a large factory running the motor for 4,000 hours per year, the total additional energy consumption would be 34,800 kWh, resulting in an additional 27,840 RMB in electricity costs.
An IE3 standard motor typically achieves 2%-4% better efficiency than an IE2 motor. A 22 kW IE3 motor, with an efficiency of 92.8%, saves about 0.64 kWh per hour compared to an IE2 motor with an efficiency of 90.2%. Running for 5,000 hours per year, it saves 3,200 kWh, reducing electricity costs by about 2,560 RMB annually. While the initial cost of an IE3 motor is about 15% higher than an IE2 motor, the return on investment is usually realized in 2-3 years.
A 37 kW variable-frequency motor, with an average efficiency exceeding 93%, provides a 20% energy savings compared to traditional motors. This motor can save about 37,000 kWh annually, which translates into an electricity cost saving of approximately 29,600 RMB (at 0.8 RMB per kWh).
Permanent magnet synchronous motors typically have an efficiency of 95%-98%. A 200 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor consumes 210 kWh per hour, saving about 10 kWh compared to a traditional induction motor. With 5,000 hours of operation per year, this results in an energy saving of 50,000 kWh, equivalent to an annual electricity cost saving of about 40,000 RMB.
Brushless DC motors typically achieve efficiencies between 90%-95%, and have low efficiency loss at low loads. A 1.5 kW brushless DC motor, with an efficiency of 93%, consumes 1.61 kWh per hour, compared to 1.67 kWh for an equivalent AC motor. This results in a savings of 0.06 kWh per hour. If the motor runs 10 hours per day, the annual energy savings would be 219 kWh, reducing electricity costs by about 175 RMB.
A 50 kW permanent magnet motor, with an efficiency of 97%, consumes about 51.5 kWh per hour. Compared to a motor with an efficiency of 92%, it saves 2.7 kWh per hour. Running for 4,000 hours per year, this results in an energy saving of 10,800 kWh, which equates to an electricity cost saving of around 8,640 RMB.
A 15 kW high-efficiency motor, with a 15% reduction in iron loss, achieves an efficiency improvement from 89% to 92%. This results in a savings of 0.49 kWh per hour. Assuming 3,000 hours of operation per year, this motor saves 1,470 kWh annually, translating into an electricity cost saving of about 1,176 RMB.
A 22 kW motor, if its efficiency drops from 92% to 89%, will consume 0.74 kWh more per hour. Over 4,000 hours of operation per year, this leads to an additional 2,960 kWh of energy consumption, increasing electricity costs by approximately 2,368 RMB.
Load Capacity
The load capacity of motors is an important factor in determining their operational efficiency and longevity. For instance, a 3 kW motor, when operating at its rated load, can handle a torque of 6 Nm. If the load exceeds the rated value by 10%, the torque increases to 6.6 Nm, and the motor’s operating temperature may rise to 85°C, which is 10°C higher than the rated temperature of 75°C. Operating continuously at this load can reduce the motor’s lifespan by 20%-30%.
In industrial applications, a 15 kW motor has a rated load capacity of 28 A, capable of driving equipment with a load range between 1200 kg and 1500 kg. If the load exceeds 1500 kg, the motor’s efficiency drops from 92% to 88%, leading to an additional energy consumption of about 0.6 kWh per hour. For a factory running for 8,000 hours annually, this results in an extra 4,800 kWh per year, raising electricity costs by approximately 3,840 RMB.
A 75 kW high-power motor, with a rated load capacity of 145 A, is used for heavy equipment like excavators and road rollers. When driving a mining machine with a load of 22 tons, the motor operates at an efficiency of 95%, consuming 79 kWh per hour. If the load increases to 24 tons, the efficiency drops to 92%, and the energy consumption increases by 2.5 kWh per hour. Over the course of a year, this results in an additional 10,000 kWh of energy consumption.
A 22 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor, with a rated load capacity of 40 A, maintains 96% efficiency even with a 10% increase in load. This leads to a 2400 RMB reduction in electricity costs annually, while also lowering the risk of equipment overheating and extending the system’s lifespan.
A 37 kW variable-frequency motor, with a rated load capacity of 70 A, can maintain stable torque output with only a 1%-2% drop in efficiency when the load increases from 70% to 110%. This capability helps reduce 15% of the startup current surge in production line applications.
A 1.5 kW motor, with a rated load capacity of 3.5 A, can drive 300 kg of load. If overloaded to 400 kg, the motor’s power factor drops from 0.85 to 0.75, and energy consumption increases by 12 kWh per month if running for 10 hours daily, raising the electricity cost by about 9.6 RMB.
A 55 kW motor can operate at 110% load capacity for 2 hours with only a temperature rise of 90°C, whereas a standard cooling system would heat up to 120°C under the same conditions, reducing the motor’s lifespan by 25%-30%. Optimizing the cooling system results in 5,000 RMB savings in annual maintenance costs.
Motors with aluminum windings have a 15% lower load capacity compared to those with copper windings. For instance, an 11 kW aluminum-wound motor has a rated load capacity of 21 A, while a copper-wound motor of the same size can handle 24 A. Aluminum-wound motors are typically 15%-20% cheaper, but their failure rate is 30% higher during overload operation, which leads to increased maintenance costs.
A 200 kW motor, with a rated load capacity of 380 A, can drive 50 tons of lifting equipment. Under full-load operation, it achieves an efficiency of 94% and consumes 864,000 kWh annually, assuming 12 hours of daily operation for 300 days per year. If the load increases to 55 tons, the motor’s efficiency drops to 90%, resulting in an additional 38,400 kWh of energy consumption, increasing electricity costs by approximately 30,720 RMB annually.
Installation Costs
The installation cost of motors varies significantly depending on their size, complexity, and specific requirements. A 3 kW small motor typically has a basic installation cost of around 500 RMB, which includes motor base fixing and cable connections. If long-distance wiring is required, the cost per meter is around 20 RMB. For standard installations under 10 meters, the total cost is approximately 700 RMB.
For a 15 kW motor, the installation cost ranges from 3,000 RMB to 5,000 RMB. In a case involving a food processing plant, additional anti-moisture facilities increased the installation cost by 1,500 RMB, resulting in a total installation cost of 6,500 RMB—a 20%-30% reduction in cost.
A 75 kW high-power motor requires specialized hoisting equipment. The hoisting cost is about 1,000 RMB per hour, with a total installation time of about 8 hours, leading to a hoisting cost of 8,000 RMB. The electrical connection also requires large-section cables priced at 50 RMB per meter, with a total wiring length of approximately 50 meters, bringing the total wiring cost to 2,500 RMB. The final installation cost may reach 15,000 RMB.
A 22 kW explosion-proof motor has installation costs about 30% higher than a regular motor. In a chemical enterprise, the installation of a 22 kW explosion-proof motor, including the installation of corrosion-resistant junction boxes and explosion-proof pipes, cost 10,000 RMB. The costs breakdown as follows: equipment fixing at 5,000 RMB, electrical connection at 3,000 RMB, and debugging at 2,000 RMB.
For a 200 kW permanent magnet synchronous motor, the installation cost ranges from 40,000 RMB to 60,000 RMB, with 50% of the cost attributed to control system debugging. In a wind farm project, the total installation cost was 52,000 RMB, with 20,000 RMB spent on wiring the control panel, 15,000 RMB for fixing the main unit, and the remaining costs for on-site labor.
In residential and small commercial applications, the installation cost for a 1.5 kW motor is typically around 1,000 RMB. For an air conditioning compressor motor installation, including 10 meters of cabling at 200 RMB, and 800 RMB for labor, the total installation cost is approximately 1,000 RMB.
For a 37 kW variable-frequency motor, the installation cost is about 12,000 RMB, with 5,000 RMB allocated to variable frequency drive (VFD) debugging, which constitutes 41% of the total installation cost. In a production line automation project, the total installation cost for a complete 37 kW VFD system, including the motor, VFD, and monitoring equipment, is close to 20,000 RMB.
The installation of a 500 kW motor can reach 100,000 RMB, with costs distributed as follows: 20,000 RMB for hoisting, 30,000 RMB for electrical connections, and 50,000 RMB for control system installation and debugging. The total installation typically takes 2 to 3 weeks.
In agricultural applications, the installation cost for a 22 kW motor is around 8,000 RMB. For an irrigation project, the wiring cost increases by 2,000 RMB for an additional 40 meters of cable, bringing the total installation cost to 10,000 RMB, which is 20% lower than the initial budget.
In a factory upgrade project, optimizing the wiring scheme reduced the total wiring length from 80 meters to 50 meters, saving 1,500 RMB. Centralized procurement of installation accessories also reduced installation costs by 10%, leading to an overall cost reduction of 5,000 RMB, or about 5% of the total project cost.
