News Release: New Energy Transition Drives Material Innovation – Chinese Brake Pad Manufacturers Accelerate High-End Breakthrough
Shandong Huaruifeng Leads Composite Brake Technology Upgrade to Solve NEV Braking Pain Points
February 7, 2026 | Industry News – As the global automotive industry undergoes in-depth transformation toward electrification and intelligence, brake pads, a core component safeguarding driving safety, are experiencing a material innovation-driven industrial revolution. According to the latest data from the Traffic Management Bureau of the Ministry of Public Security, by the end of 2025, China's civilian vehicle ownership reached 366 million, with new energy vehicles (NEVs) accounting for over 40% of total production. The growing market scale and unique demands of NEVs are pushing the brake pad industry to accelerate iteration toward high temperature resistance, low noise, and environmental friendliness. Against this backdrop, Shandong Huaruifeng Machinery Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Huaruifeng") has emerged as a benchmark enterprise for domestic brake pad manufacturers' high-end breakthrough, leveraging its technical accumulation in composite materials.
Policy and Market Dual Drive: Composite Materials Become Industry Mainstream
In recent years, global environmental regulations have become increasingly stringent. China's Technical Policy on the Prevention and Control of Motor Vehicle Emission Pollution explicitly restricts the use of brake pads containing heavy metals such as copper and antimony, while the EU's ECE R90 standard has raised the thermal decay test temperature to 400℃, forcing the industry to phase out traditional metal-based and asbestos-based products. Meanwhile, due to the reduced frequency of mechanical braking caused by regenerative braking systems in NEVs, brake pads are prone to rust and vibration, imposing more stringent requirements on friction coefficient stability and high temperature resistance – instantaneous braking temperatures can exceed 700℃, 1.5 times that of traditional fuel vehicles.
Amid this trend, composite brake pads have stood out with their excellent overall performance. Data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers shows that in 2025, the penetration rate of composite brake pads (e.g., ceramic-based, non-asbestos organic (NAO)) in the passenger vehicle market reached 53%, with ceramic-based products accounting for over 60% in mid-to-high-end models priced above 250,000 yuan. "Material revolution is the core competitiveness of the brake pad industry. We launched composite material R&D as early as 2018 and now have a full product matrix covering ceramic-based, low-copper/copper-free metal-based, and carbon-ceramic composites, fully aligning with the 'dual carbon' goals and NEV development needs," said the General Manager of Huaruifeng.
Technological Breakthroughs: Huaruifeng Builds Three Core Advantages
As a professional manufacturer focusing on automotive braking systems, Huaruifeng has established differentiated competitive advantages in composite brake pads relying on advanced automated production lines and a full-process quality control system:
1. NEV-specific Formulation R&D: Tailored to the braking characteristics of NEVs – "high weight, high instantaneous temperature, low usage frequency" – Huaruifeng's independently developed ceramic-based composite brake pads have a thermal decay temperature of over 600℃, a stable friction coefficient ranging from 0.4 to 0.5, and brake dust emissions as low as 0.1g/km. Their service life is 2-3 times longer than traditional products, and they have passed bench tests and real-vehicle validation by several mainstream NEV manufacturers.
2. Full-scenario Adaptability: Products cover mainstream vehicle platforms in Europe, America, Japan, and South Korea, and offer OEM/ODM customization services. From mold development and material selection to performance debugging, the entire process matches the technical specifications of OEMs. In particular, Huaruifeng has formed specialized solutions for niche scenarios such as commercial vehicle heavy-load braking and low-temperature starting in extremely cold regions.
3. Green Manufacturing System Construction: Responding to the EU's requirement of "≥25% recycled fiber utilization rate," Huaruifeng uses new environmentally friendly materials such as basalt fiber and bio-based resin to create copper-free formula products. The carbon emissions throughout the life cycle are reduced by 40% compared with traditional metal-based brake pads. The company has passed ISO/TS16949 quality system certification and international standard certifications such as ECE R90 and SAE J661, demonstrating global supply capabilities.
Industry Outlook: Intelligence and Globalization as the Next Track
Currently, the brake pad industry is evolving from single manufacturing to an ecological model of "material + intelligence + service." International giants such as Bosch and ZF have launched intelligent brake pads integrated with sensors to realize wear monitoring and early warning functions. Huaruifeng revealed that the company is collaborating with universities on intelligent brake material R&D and plans to launch a new generation of products equipped with temperature sensors by 2027, providing redundant braking support for autonomous vehicles.
In terms of market layout, as China's brake pad export volume continues to grow (reaching 1.26 billion US dollars in 2025), Huaruifeng is accelerating the expansion into emerging markets such as Southeast Asia and the Middle East, while deepening supporting cooperation with domestic leading OEMs. The company aims to achieve an 8% market share in NEV brake pads by 2028. Industry experts point out that under the dual opportunities of domestic substitution and global industrial transfer, local enterprises represented by Huaruifeng are expected to break the monopoly of foreign brands in the high-end market through technological innovation and precise market positioning, driving China's brake pad industry to leap from "scale leadership" to "technological leadership."
It is reported that Huaruifeng will participate in the 2026 China Brake Annual Conference in Shanghai in June to showcase its latest composite brake solutions and explore the development direction of braking technology in the new energy era with global industry partners.
