In a global market in full transformation, gearless motors have established themselves as the benchmark technology for vertical transportation. With forecasts that place the sector’s volume between USD 7.07 and 12.5 billion for the period 2029-2035, and an annual growth rate of over 7%, its adoption continues to accelerate around the world.
To gain a deeper understanding of this evolution, we spoke with Eduardo Mate, a member of the Design and Development team, who offers a technical and strategic vision of the keys that are redefining the future of elevator traction.
A market in sustained growth
According to Mate, the expansion of gearless is due to a number of factors that have made this technology the industry standard. “Its penetration compared to geared systems is increasing, especially in medium- and high-rise buildings. In Europe, our customers confirm to us that in new construction it is practically the dominant solution and is steadily increasing in modernization.”
The combination of energy efficiency, increased comfort and reduced maintenance has led manufacturers, installers and developers to prioritize this technology.
Drivers of change
Eduardo Mate summarizes the main factors behind this trend:
- Energy efficiency, essential to comply with European standards and environmental certifications.
- Urbanization and verticalization, which drive high-performance, low-energy footprint solutions.
- Reduced maintenance, due to the absence of mechanical elements subject to wear and tear.
- Stricter safety and consumer regulations.
- Increasingly high user expectations of comfort.
Technical advantages: performance, comfort and reliability
During the interview, Mate stresses that permanent magnet synchronous motors provide “superior energy efficiency, lower thermal losses and much more efficient torque management.”
In terms of user experience, gearless technology offers:
- extremely smooth starts and stops,
- minimum noise and vibration levels,
- and precise speed control.
“These features,” Mate adds, “are no longer differentiators, they are a standard. The market does not accept anything that is not at this level.”
Modernization: clear preference and current challenges
In the retrofit segment, gearless has established itself as the most valued alternative. However, Eduardo Mate acknowledges that there are still some barriers:
- structural limitations in old buildings,
- higher initial cost,
- and adaptation of control panels not designed for synchronous motors.
Topics that, as he points out, they also address in their technical podcast “Elevator Pitch”, where they have specialized guests who analyze these issues from different angles.
Flat belts: the new age of traction
One of the major transformations in the industry is the transition to flat belts. Mate points out that this technology offers:
- up to three times longer service life,
- smaller radii of curvature,
- quieter operation,
- and less maintenance.
“This change requires a redesign of the engine: new pulleys, adjustments to the available torque and specific validations on fatigue and traction,” he says.
Lancor has already developed, together with one of its customers, a motor specifically adapted to flat belts and CTP technology, achieving an integrated drive system with high efficiency and durability.
Digitization and predictive maintenance: the industry’s next leap forward
The sector is moving toward digital ecosystems based on IoT, artificial intelligence and predictive maintenance platforms. Mate notes that while Lancor takes a cautious approach, the cooperative is working to ensure:
- full electronic compatibility with connected systems,
- robustness at the control and sensing level,
- and participation in digital twins projects within R&D&I initiatives developed together with technological centers.
Current challenges compared to other technologies
Gearless still presents some challenges:
- a higher initial cost,
- thermal sensitivity in extreme applications,
- and the occasional competition of hydraulic systems or gearboxes in very specific niches.
Despite this, Mate stresses that the market “is clearly looking towards gearless solutions as the standard in the medium and long term”.
Continuous innovation and new developments
According to Mate, the next generation of gearless motors will be marked by:
- full integration with digital platforms,
- new magnetic materials,
- higher torque density,
- advanced compatibility with new traction media,
- and energy efficiencies close to theoretical limits.
SILA: Lancor’s benchmark
Lancor Electric Motors’ SILA range remains the cooperative’s flagship machine: efficient, compact, reliable and exceptionally comfortable. Its latest evolution – the version adapted to flat belts – opens up new possibilities for high quality and low consumption applications.
Commitment to Europe and to people
Finally, Eduardo Mate underlines Lancor’s commitment on two fronts:
- European industrial resilience, with projects aimed at reducing geopolitical dependencies in critical raw materials.
- The NER management model, based on collaboration, transparency and people development.
“At Lancor, we believe that innovation is not only in the technology, but in the way people work together to make it happen,” concludes Mate.
