Starting in January 2026, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) will implement new energy efficiency standards for three-phase asynchronous motors, making IE4 the mandatory entry threshold. The new standards will cover industrial, agricultural, and commercial applications. Compared with the previous standards, the new regulations increase efficiency requirements by 3–5 percentage points, meaning low-efficiency motors will be phased out of the North American market.
As the world’s second-largest motor market, North America is seeing rapid growth in demand for YE4 and YE5 series high-efficiency asynchronous motors driven by this policy upgrade. Several Chinese motor manufacturers have obtained CSA and UL certifications for the North American market and are expanding exports to the United States. Orders for explosion-proof, variable-frequency, high-voltage, and other special motor models have increased by more than 40% year on year.
With the recovery of U.S. infrastructure development and manufacturing, high-efficiency, intelligent, and weather-resistant three-phase asynchronous motors are becoming essential requirements. Global motor companies are accelerating the development of localized service networks in North America.
