Brake Pad Industry News 2026: New Regulations Take Effect, New Energy Drives Intelligent & Green Upgrading

In early 2026, China's brake pad industry-a core component of automotive braking systems-has ushered in a three-pronged transformation in policy, technology and market. With the official implementation of the new national standard GB 21670-2025 and the continuous rise in the penetration rate of new energy vehicles (NEVs), the industry is accelerating its transition to copper-free, intelligent, lightweight and brake-by-wire compatible solutions. Domestic enterprises are achieving simultaneous technological breakthroughs and domestic substitution, reshaping the global friction material industry landscape.

New National Standard Enforced, Upgrading Braking Safety & Electrification Standards

Since January 1, 2026, the Technical Requirements and Test Methods for Passenger Car Braking Systems (GB 21670-2025) has been fully implemented. The new regulation mandates ABS as a standard configuration for all new vehicles, prohibits the default one-pedal driving mode, and officially establishes the compliance status of Electric Transmission Braking Systems (ETBS) and brake-by-wire systems for the first time, filling the regulatory gap for EMB/EHB in China. Aligned with the EU's Euro 7 standard, it also introduces supervision on braking particulate emissions, forcing brake pad manufacturers to upgrade low-dust and low-wear formulas.

Meanwhile, the global shift to copper-free friction materials is accelerating. Since 2025, major markets have required copper content in brake pads to be below 0.5%, replacing traditional copper-based thermal conductive materials with ceramics, bio-based composite materials and basalt fibers. These alternatives ensure thermal stability while meeting environmental compliance. Leading domestic enterprises have achieved mass production of copper-free formulas, with products certified by international standards such as ECE R90, significantly enhancing export competitiveness.

NEVs Reshape Demand, Specialized Brake Pads Become Main Growth Driver

The energy recovery system of NEVs reduces mechanical braking frequency by 30%–40%, but raises higher requirements for high temperature resistance, low noise, low drag torque and lightweight design, spurring the explosive growth of the NEV-specialized brake pad segment. Data shows that in 2025, demand for NEV-matched brake pads in China accounted for 28% of the total market, and the penetration rate of high-end ceramic-based formulas exceeded 18%. Carbon-ceramic braking systems have expanded from luxury models to high-end mass-produced vehicles, with flagship models from NIO, Yangwang and Xiaomi equipped as standard. The initial thermal decay temperature exceeds 1200°C, and each braking assembly weighs over 4kg less.

In the commercial vehicle sector, heavy-duty brake linings require a service life of more than 150,000 kilometers, and L3 autonomous driving mandates dual-redundant braking architecture, driving steady growth in demand for high-performance and long-life brake pads. In the aftermarket, China's vehicle ownership has surpassed 330 million units, with an annual replacement demand of over 280 million sets. The penetration rate of intelligent sensing brake pads reaches 13.6%, with the market size growing at an annual rate of over 38%.

Dual Drive of Intelligence & Greening, Technological Innovation Enters Deep Water

Industry technological iteration focuses on three directions: first, intelligent sensor integration, with nano-silicon carbide composite materials enabling real-time monitoring of 0.05mm wear, and matrix piezoresistive sensors constructing braking pressure cloud maps, improving early warning accuracy by four times compared with traditional solutions; second, green manufacturing upgrading, where microwave sintering technology reduces production energy consumption by 35% and dust emissions by 60%, and VOCs control promotes clean production across the industrial chain; third, brake-by-wire adaptation optimization, with EHB response time shortened to within 150ms and EMB eliminating hydraulic pipelines with a response speed of 80–100ms, driving brake pads to upgrade toward higher precision and consistency.

On the raw material side, prices of phenolic resin, aramid fiber and ceramic particles have fluctuated sharply. Domestic enterprises have stabilized costs through formula optimization, domestic substitution and strategic reserves. New reinforcing materials such as basalt fiber and reduced graphene oxide have achieved mass production, raising shear strength to 85MPa and breaking the import dependence on high-end materials.

Restructured Competition Landscape, Accelerated Domestic Substitution

The current market features a concentrated top-tier and emerging mid-tier structure. Foreign brands including Bosch, TRW and Ferodo occupy about 40% of the high-end supporting market. Relying on mass production advantages in brake-by-wire systems, domestic leaders such as Bethel, Asia Pacific Electronics and Wanxiang Qianchao have partnered with NEV startups, raising their market share from 27.6% in 2019 to 41.8% in 2025, accelerating domestic substitution. The RCEP market has become a new growth engine for exports, with ceramic brake pad exports increasing by 41.2% year-on-year in 2025, and shares in Southeast Asia and the Middle East continuing to rise.

Industry Outlook: Safety, Environmental Protection & Intelligence as Core Themes

It is estimated that by 2026, China's brake pad industry scale will exceed 85 billion yuan, the penetration rate of electronically controlled braking matching will surpass 60%, and the proportion of copper-free products will exceed 50%. With the commercialization of L3 autonomous driving, cost reduction of carbon-ceramic materials and deepening of circular economy, the industry will continue to upgrade around the three core themes of safety, environmental protection and intelligence. Leading enterprises with capabilities in material R&D, system integration and global supply will dominate the market, while small and medium-sized enterprises will achieve differentiated development by focusing on segmented vehicle models and regional markets.