Top 10 Traction Motor Manufacturers for Logistics, Lifting and AGV Applications

By the Baoluo Motor Engineering Team · Published 2026-09-11

If you buy traction motors for forklifts, AGVs, rail transfer carts or tow tractors, the first question is usually the same: which supplier do I shortlist? The answer is not one list. It depends on whether you need a medium-voltage rail motor, a low-voltage battery traction motor, or a complete drive wheel for a robot. This guide lists the ten manufacturers that matter across logistics, lifting, low-voltage traction and AGV.

Method note: this is not a revenue ranking. We curated it from the key-player lists in published market reports (Precedence Research, Mordor Intelligence) and each manufacturer's own traction product lines, then filtered for the four verticals above. The "where Baoluo fits" notes are our own positioning, stated as such. Where a figure is cited, the source is in the Sources section.

The market in one line: the global traction motor market was about USD 12.79 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach roughly USD 32.58 billion by 2033, growing at a 9.66% CAGR (Precedence Research, 2024). The electric-vehicle traction segment alone is forecast to reach USD 74.17 billion by 2030 (Grand View Research). Low-voltage battery traction — the segment we build — sits inside both, growing with warehouse automation and AGV fleets.

1. ABB (with Baldor-Reliance)

ABB is the broadest industrial motor and drive supplier on the list, with a dedicated traction motor line for rail and e-mobility alongside its industrial range. In North America its Baldor-Reliance line carries the industrial low- and medium-voltage motors. Strength: full-system supply — motor, drive and service from one vendor.

Baoluo angle: ABB targets medium-voltage rail and larger industrial traction. In the 24–96 V battery traction niche for forklifts and AGVs, a focused factory competes on cost, lead time and custom mounting rather than brand reach.

2. Siemens

Siemens is a leading player in railway traction and industrial drives, with its Simotics motor family spanning low- to high-voltage induction and synchronous machines. Strength: deep traction engineering and a global service network, especially for rail and heavy industry.

Baoluo angle: Siemens serves large rail and OEM platforms. Small-batch, low-voltage traction for warehouse vehicles is not its focus, which is where specialised suppliers step in.

3. WEG

WEG, from Brazil, is one of the world's largest electric motor manufacturers, strong in low- and medium-voltage induction motors and increasingly in EV and traction. It competes hard on price-performance across general industrial duty.

Baoluo angle: WEG is a giant in standard industrial motors. For battery-powered traction with series-wound DC or AC asynchronous options and application-specific shafts and flanges, a specialised factory is often the faster path.

4. Nidec

Nidec is the world's largest motor manufacturer by volume, built through acquisition across appliance, automotive and industrial motors. Its scale makes it a default supplier for high-volume programmes.

Baoluo angle: Nidec chases volume. Low-voltage traction motors in small to mid batches, with customisation per machine type, sit below its economic sweet spot — exactly where a specialist fits.

5. SEW-Eurodrive

SEW-Eurodrive is the reference name in logistics and material handling drives — gearmotors, inverters and complete drive packages for conveyors, pallet systems and automated warehouses. It owns the intralogistics space more than any other name here.

Baoluo angle: SEW sells drive packages centred on geared AC motors. Baoluo supplies the low-voltage traction motor itself — DC series-wound or three-phase AC asynchronous — for the vehicle moving through that warehouse.

6. Bonfiglioli

Bonfiglioli, an Italian group with 70+ years in the business, makes gearmotors, gearboxes and inverters with a strong position in mobile machinery, material handling and AGV drive wheels. It is a direct reference in the automated-vehicle drive space.

Baoluo angle: Bonfiglioli and Baoluo overlap most in AGV and material handling. Baoluo's edge is a tighter focus on the traction motor and drive-wheel assembly itself, with competitive pricing on low-voltage DC and AC traction.

7. Regal Rexnord

Regal Rexnord (formed from Regal Beloit and Rexnord) supplies industrial and mobile motors and power-transmission components. Its breadth covers everything from HVAC motors to mobile electric drives.

Baoluo angle: Regal is a broad industrial portfolio company. For dedicated low-voltage traction motors matched to a specific forklift or AGV platform, a niche manufacturer is often more responsive.

8. Dana TM4

Dana, through its TM4 motor business, builds electric traction motors and inverters for commercial vehicles, buses and off-highway machines. It is a serious name in electrified drivetrains.

Baoluo angle: Dana TM4 targets higher-power commercial EV drivetrains. The 24–96 V, single-digit-kilowatt traction motors for warehouse vehicles are a different, lower-power tier where Baoluo operates.

9. Parker Hannifin

Parker's Global Vehicle Motor (GVM) family covers permanent-magnet AC motors for on-road and off-road electric and hybrid vehicles, part of its wider motion and control portfolio.

Baoluo angle: Parker GVM leans to higher-power PMAC machines. Baoluo's DC series-wound and AC asynchronous low-voltage motors serve the smaller, cost-sensitive traction tier below it.

10. CRRC

CRRC, China's state-owned rolling-stock group, is the world's largest maker of railway locomotives and EMUs by volume and a leading rail traction motor producer. It dominates rail traction in scale.

Baoluo angle: CRRC is rail-scale. Industrial and warehouse low-voltage traction is a separate market, served by factories like Baoluo that focus on 24–96 V battery traction for forklifts, AGVs, rail transfer carts and tow tractors.

Comparison table

Where Baoluo fits

Baoluo Motor does not compete head-on with ABB, Siemens or CRRC — and we would not pretend to. We build 24–96 V battery traction motors: DC series-wound traction motors for forklifts, rail transfer carts and tow tractors, and three-phase AC asynchronous traction motors for heavier battery vehicles, plus AGV drive wheels and DC motor controllers. That low-voltage, application-specific tier is where a focused factory wins on cost, customisation and lead time — the exact tier most of the giants above treat as too small.

If you are shortlisting suppliers, the practical rule is: match the supplier to the tier. For a rail programme, call ABB, Siemens or CRRC. For a warehouse vehicle, call a specialist. We supply the four parts of a forklift drive — motor, controller, and the matching pump and traction set — as a tested package, which is what the giants rarely do at this power level.

Frequently asked questions

Who are the biggest traction motor manufacturers?

By published market reports, the leading names are Siemens, ABB, GE, Bosch, Nidec, Toshiba, Hitachi, Mitsubishi Electric, Rockwell, Regal Rexnord, WEG, Hyundai Rotem, CRRC and Dana (Precedence Research, 2024). The right choice depends on the tier: rail and EV versus low-voltage industrial traction.

What voltage are forklift and AGV traction motors?

Forklift and AGV traction motors are low-voltage battery machines, typically 24 V, 48 V or 72 V, and up to 96 V for heavier machines. This is a different tier from the medium- and high-voltage motors the rail and industrial giants focus on.

DC or AC traction motor for a forklift?

Both are used. A DC series-wound motor gives strong low-speed torque and simpler control; a three-phase AC asynchronous motor gives a wide speed range and no brushes to service. The full comparison is in our DC vs AC traction motor guide.

Do I need to buy the controller with the motor?

Yes. An AC asynchronous motor will not run without an inverter, and a DC series-wound motor needs a matched DC drive. Buying them as a set, sized to the motor's surge current, avoids most install failures. We cover this in the electric forklift motor selection guide.

Is an international brand always better?

Not at every tier. A global brand earns its premium for rail, large industrial and high-volume programmes. In low-voltage battery traction, a specialised factory often delivers the same or better fit at a lower cost and shorter lead time. The difference is in the winding, the testing and the customisation, which we set out in how to evaluate brushed DC motor quality.

Sources

• Precedence Research, "Traction Motor Companies" (Nov 2024) — market size USD 12.79B (2023) to USD 32.58B by 2033, CAGR 9.66%; key-player list. precedenceresearch.com/top-companies/traction-motor
• Grand View Research, "Electric Vehicle Traction Motor Market" — USD 74.17B by 2030, CAGR 30.2%. grandviewresearch.com
• Mordor Intelligence, "Electric Traction Motor Companies" — ABB, Siemens, CRRC among key players. mordorintelligence.com
• ABB, official traction motor page — abb.com.
• SEW-Eurodrive and Bonfiglioli official sites — product positioning for intralogistics and AGV drives.

Shortlist a supplier for your drive

Tell us the machine type, battery voltage and duty, and we will tell you which tier of supplier you need — and quote you if it is our tier.

• Request a quote or ask about a drive
• Browse the DC traction motor range
• Browse the AC traction motor range
• Browse the AGV drive wheel range

About the author: the Baoluo Motor engineering team designs and tests low-voltage DC and AC traction motors for forklifts, AGVs, rail transfer carts and tow tractors. This article reflects published market reports and each manufacturer's stated product focus, not our opinion of their quality.