What Types of Brake Pads Are There? Analysis of Different Types Characteristics to Help You Choose the Right Safety Guarantee
In a vehicle's braking system, the choice of brake pad type directly affects the vehicle's braking performance, service life, and driving experience. With the continuous development of automotive technology, the materials used in brake pads have also been constantly upgraded. Currently, the mainstream brake pads on the market are mainly divided into three categories: semi-metallic brake pads, low-metallic brake pads, and ceramic-based brake pads. Recently, combining industry data and enterprise cases, the reporter conducted a detailed analysis of the characteristics of different types of brake pads to provide references for consumers' purchases.
Semi-metallic Brake Pads: Cost-effective Choice for Traditional Fuel Vehicles
Semi-metallic brake pads are an early type used in the automotive field, with metal components (such as copper, steel, and iron fibers) accounting for 30%-50% of their friction material. "The advantages of this type of brake pad lie in stable friction coefficient, strong braking force, relatively low production cost, and outstanding cost-effectiveness," said Zhang Ming, a technical engineer at a domestic braking enterprise. The friction coefficient of semi-metallic brake pads can reach 0.35-0.45 at room temperature, which can meet the daily braking needs of traditional fuel vehicles. Therefore, they are widely used in mid-to-low-end fuel vehicles and commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses.
However, semi-metallic brake pads also have obvious shortcomings. Due to the high proportion of metal components, they tend to cause significant wear on the brake disc during braking. This not only shortens the service life of the brake disc but also may generate a large amount of brake dust, requiring car owners to clean the wheels frequently. At the same time, the strong thermal conductivity of metal materials means that during continuous high-intensity braking, heat is easily transferred to the brake caliper, which may increase the risk of "thermal fade" and lead to a decrease in braking effect. In addition, semi-metallic brake pads have a slow braking response speed in low-temperature environments (such as below -20℃) and produce relatively high noise during braking.
According to statistics from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the market share of semi-metallic brake pads in China's passenger car market dropped to approximately 25% in 2024, mainly concentrated in economical fuel vehicles priced below 100,000 yuan and commercial vehicles such as trucks and buses.
Low-metallic Brake Pads: Balancing Performance and Comfort, Mainstream Choice for Family Cars
To address the shortcomings of semi-metallic brake pads, low-metallic brake pads emerged. The proportion of metal components in them is reduced to 10%-30%, and their performance is optimized by adding organic fibers, graphite, and other materials. "Low-metallic brake pads are equivalent to an 'upgraded version' of semi-metallic brake pads. While maintaining strong braking force, they significantly improve comfort and durability," Zhang Ming explained. Low-metallic brake pads also have a stable friction coefficient, and with the reduced metal content, the wear on the brake disc is reduced by more than 30%, the amount of brake dust is also reduced accordingly, and the wheel cleaning cycle can be extended to 2-3 times the original.
In terms of low-temperature performance, low-metallic brake pads perform better. Even in a low-temperature environment of -30℃, they can quickly respond to braking needs and avoid braking delays caused by low temperatures. At the same time, the addition of organic materials effectively reduces braking noise, which can be controlled below 60 decibels in most cases, improving driving comfort. However, the high-temperature resistance of low-metallic brake pads is slightly inferior to that of semi-metallic brake pads. When the temperature exceeds 500℃, their friction coefficient will decrease to a certain extent. Therefore, they are more suitable for low-to-medium speed, non-high-intensity braking scenarios such as urban roads.
Currently, low-metallic brake pads have become the mainstream choice for family fuel vehicles. In 2024, their market share in China's passenger car market reached 45%, and they are widely used in family cars priced between 100,000 and 200,000 yuan.
Ceramic-based Brake Pads: High-end Performance Choice for New Energy and Mid-to-high-end Vehicles
With the rise of new energy vehicles and the increasing demand for braking performance from consumers, ceramic-based brake pads have gradually become a "new favorite" in the high-end market due to their excellent comprehensive performance. Their friction material is mainly composed of non-metallic components such as ceramic fibers, resin, and graphite, with the proportion of metal components less than 5%. "Ceramic-based brake pads excel in high-temperature resistance, low wear, and low noise, which can meet the high requirements of new energy vehicles and mid-to-high-end vehicles," said Wang Lei, Technical Director of Friction One. This type of brake pad has an operating temperature range of -40℃ to 600℃. Even in high-intensity scenarios such as continuous mountain road braking or high-speed emergency braking, it is not prone to "thermal fade," and the friction coefficient remains stable at 0.4-0.5.
In terms of durability, ceramic-based brake pads have an extremely low wear rate, with a service life of 80,000-100,000 kilometers, which is 2-3 times that of semi-metallic brake pads, effectively reducing the replacement cost for car owners. At the same time, the amount of brake dust they generate is only 1/5 of that of semi-metallic brake pads, and the dust is fine and not easy to adhere to the wheels, greatly reducing the cleaning frequency. In addition, ceramic materials have a good shock absorption effect, and the braking noise can be controlled below 50 decibels, almost achieving "silent braking," which perfectly meets the quietness requirements of new energy vehicles.
However, the production cost of ceramic-based brake pads is relatively high, and their price is usually 2-3 times that of semi-metallic brake pads. Currently, they are mainly used in mid-to-high-end fuel vehicles priced above 200,000 yuan and new energy vehicles. Data shows that in 2024, the market share of ceramic-based brake pads in China's passenger car market reached 30%, among which their share in the new energy vehicle market exceeded 60%. It is expected that with the popularization of new energy vehicles in the future, this proportion will continue to rise.
