What ZF Group does

ZF Friedrichshafen AG is a global automotive and industrial technology supplier founded in 1915 and headquartered in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The company supplies advanced mobility products and systems to passenger car OEMs, commercial vehicle manufacturers, and industrial equipment makers, operating across seven divisions (Chassis Solutions, Electrified Powertrain Technology, Electronics & ADAS, ZF Lifetec, Commercial Vehicle Solutions, Industrial Technology, and Aftermarket) from 162 production locations in 29 countries. Core product platforms include the eDrive Platform SELECT electric drivetrain, TraXon 2 Hybrid transmission, AxTrax 2 LF electric portal axle for city buses, the cubiX vehicle motion control software platform, and the ZF ProAI high-performance compute platform for automated driving at Levels 2-5 (with 14 million units ordered). The company also holds leading positions in by-wire technologies (brake-by-wire, steer-by-wire), active damping (sMOTION), and active rear-axle steering (AKC).

Revenue is generated primarily through direct B2B sales to vehicle manufacturers on multi-year supply agreements, supplemented by a global aftermarket business serving workshops, distributors, and fleets through multi-brand offerings (ZF, SACHS, TRW, WABCO, LEMFÖRDER, BOGE). Additional revenue streams include software products (cubiX, ProAI, ProConnect), telematics platforms (ZF Bus Connect, SCALAR fleet orchestration), and industrial technology for construction, agricultural, marine, wind power, rail, and test systems applications. ZF Friedrichshafen AG is privately held by the Zeppelin Foundation (93.8%) and the Dr.-Jürgen-and-Irmgard-Ulderup Foundation (6.2%), and reported FY2025 sales of €38.8 billion with R&D expenditure of €3.3 billion (8.6% of sales) across 20 main development sites in 10 countries.

Name

ZF Group

Legal name

ZF Friedrichshafen AG

Website

https://zf.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1915

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

5,001–10,000 employees

Short description

ZF Friedrichshafen AG is a global automotive and industrial technology supplier serving passenger car OEMs, commercial vehicle manufacturers, and industrial equipment makers with driveline, chassis, electric mobility, safety, and ADAS systems, operating 162 production locations in 29 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Components & Systems

NAICS

Motor Vehicle Transmission and Power Train Parts Manufacturing (33635), Motor Vehicle Electrical and Electronic Equipment Manufacturing (33632), Motor Vehicle Brake System Manufacturing (336340), Motor Vehicle Steering and Suspension Components (except Spring) Manufacturing (336330), Speed Changer, Industrial High-Speed Drive, and Gear Manufacturing (333612)

SIC

Electronic & Other Electrical Equipment (No Computer Equip) (3600), Motors & Generators (3621), Electronic Components & Accessories (3670)

akta.pro primary industry

Automotive E/E Architecture Components Manufacturing (Domain/Zonal Controllers, Gateways, Network Switches) (IMACAJAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Passenger Vehicle Transmission & Drivetrain Systems Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAG), Automotive Electric Motors & Actuators Manufacturing (EPS/Brake-by-wire/Seat/Window) (IMACAJAL), Passenger Vehicle Electrical & Electronics Manufacturing (ICE) (IMACAAAK), Steering Systems & Components (Columns/Racks/EPS Pumps & Motors) (IMACAIAB), Automotive Infotainment, Telematics & Connectivity Hardware Manufacturing (TCU/V2X/GNSS) (IMACAJAH)

Keywords

• Automotive driveline systems
• Chassis and steering technology
• Electric mobility components
• Commercial vehicle solutions
• Industrial gear technology

Headquarters

HQ city

Friedrichshafen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices24 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Original Equipment (OE) Sales to Vehicle Manufacturers: ZF's primary revenue stream comes from supplying advanced mobility products, systems, and software to passenger car manufacturers, commercial vehicle OEMs, and industrial technology companies. Products include driveline and chassis technology, safety systems, electric mobility components, and ADAS solutions. The company serves established vehicle manufacturers and emerging transport/mobility service providers.
2. Aftermarket Products and Services: ZF operates a comprehensive aftermarket business serving workshops, distributors, and fleets globally. The aftermarket division provides spare parts, digital solutions, diagnostics, training, remanufacturing, and service location support across multiple brands (ZF, SACHS, TRW, WABCO, LEMFÖRDER, BOGE). Offers ZF [pro]Tech workshop concepts, ZF [pro]Academy training, and ZF [pro]Diagnostics digital solutions.
3. Software Products: ZF generates revenue from software products including the cubiX vehicle motion control platform (first software-only product in volume production), ProAI high-performance computing platforms, connectivity platforms (ZF ProConnect), and telematics solutions (ZF Bus Connect, SCALAR fleet orchestration).
4. Industrial Technology Products: ZF supplies drive and gear technology solutions for off-road industrial applications including construction machinery, agricultural machinery, marine propulsion (ZF Marine is global market leader), wind power (ZF Wind Power), rail vehicles, material handling, test systems, and industrial gearboxes/drives.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ZF manufactures and supplies advanced driveline, chassis, safety, and electric mobility systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles, and industrial applications. Its portfolio spans transmissions (e.g., TraXon 2 Hybrid, eDrive Platform SELECT), axles (AxTrax 2 LF), steering and braking systems, damping and passive safety products, plus software platforms including cubiX vehicle motion control, ZF ProAI high-performance computers, and ZF ProConnect for connected vehicles.

Product overview

ZF Group is a global technology company supplying advanced mobility products and systems for passenger cars, commercial vehicles and industrial technology. The company operates seven divisions: Chassis Solutions, Electrified Powertrain Technology, Electronics & Advanced Driver Assistance System, ZF Lifetec, Commercial Vehicle Solutions, Industrial Technology and Aftermarket. The product portfolio centers on Vehicle Motion Control (chassis, steering, damping via cubiX platform, sMOTION active damping, AKC active rear-axle steering, X-by-Wire technologies) and Electric Mobility (eDrive Platform SELECT, 8-speed automatic transmissions, hybrid systems like TraXon 2 Hybrid, AxTrax 2 LF electric axle). The Automated Driving portfolio includes ZF ProAI high-performance computers (Level 2-5), ADAS turnkey solutions, ZF ProConnect connectivity platform, and camera/radar/LiDAR sensor integration. Safety solutions span ZF Lifetec passive safety systems and integrated safety technologies. Industrial applications cover construction/agricultural machinery, marine propulsion (ZF Marine), wind power (ZF Wind Power), rail drives, test systems, industrial gearboxes, and machinery drives (Duoplan, Tiratron). The Aftermarket division offers multi-brand support (ZF, SACHS, TRW, WABCO, BOGE) including diagnostic solutions (ZF [pro]Diagnostics), workshop concepts (ZF [pro]Tech, ZF [pro]Service), training (ZF [pro]Academy), and remanufacturing. Digital solutions include cubiX software, SCALAR fleet orchestration, ZF Bus Connect telematics, and engineering services. With 153,000 employees and €38.8 billion sales in fiscal 2025, ZF operates 162 production locations in 29 countries.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SACHS: Shock absorbers and dampers brand for automotive applications
• TRW
• WABCO
• ZF Marine Propulsion Systems
• ZF Wind Power
• ZF Lifetec
• cubiX
• ProAI
• ZF eDrive Platform SELECT
• ZF ProConnect

Products and services

• ZF eDrive Platform SELECT Electric drive platform for efficient battery-powered vehicles combining electric motor, power electronics, differential, transmission, and other driveline components into a single integrated electric drive unit, sold to passenger car manufacturers.
• ZF ProAI High-performance automotive-grade supercomputer serving as domain, zone, or central controller for automated driving (Level 2 to Level 5), supporting ADAS, chassis, and infotainment functions, sold to vehicle manufacturers.
• cubiX Vehicle Motion Control Platform Software-only vehicle motion control platform coordinating chassis systems including steering, braking, and damping for intelligent chassis control, sold to passenger car manufacturers.
• ZF ProConnect Connectivity platform providing all connectivity standards, cybersecurity compliance, flexible cloud environment, and digital services for connected vehicles, sold to OEMs.
• AxTrax 2 LF Electric Portal Axle Electric portal axle for city buses that cuts average energy consumption by 20% in SORT cycles versus the previous generation, sold to bus and commercial vehicle manufacturers.
• TraXon 2 Hybrid Transmission Hybrid automated manual transmission for commercial vehicles featuring an oil-cooled permanent magnet synchronous hairpin electric motor, sold to commercial vehicle OEMs.
• ZF Bus Connect Telematics platform for city buses enabling predictive maintenance and battery analytics, sold to fleet operators and bus OEMs.
• ZF Lifetec Passive Safety Systems Passive safety system solutions covering inflatable restraint systems, steering wheel systems, and seat belt systems, sold to vehicle manufacturers under the ZF Lifetec brand.
• ZF Engineering Solutions Engineering consultancy services covering systems engineering, testing and tooling, software and digital solutions, virtual engineering, cybersecurity, and standards/regulatory compliance support, sold to mobility and industrial customers.
• ZF [pro]Diagnostics Diagnostic solutions including ZF MultiScan for all-makes diagnostics and programming, and ZF Scan for advanced diagnostic capabilities, sold to workshops and fleet operators.
• ZF [pro]Tech Workshop Concept Workshop concept for independent passenger car and commercial vehicle workshops providing professional network membership and service advantages, sold to workshop operators.
• ZF [pro]Service Service concept personalized for truck, trailer, and bus workshops, including training and support programs, sold to commercial vehicle workshop operators.
• ZF [pro]Academy Training programs tailored to workshop needs covering diagnostics, repair, and emerging technologies including EV servicing, sold to workshop technicians and fleet operators.
• Duoplan Two-Speed Gearbox Two-speed gearbox for machine tools providing universal and flexible driveline solutions for industrial applications, sold to industrial OEMs.
• Tiratron Hysteresis Brakes and Clutches Hysteresis brakes and clutches for non-contact torque transmission with exact regulation, wear-free operation, and reproducible brake force setting, sold to industrial OEMs.
• ZF Aftermarket Multi-Brand Portfolio Aftermarket portfolio including ZF, SACHS, TRW, WABCO, and BOGE brands offering spare parts, diagnostics, repair services, and workshop solutions across passenger cars, commercial vehicles, motorcycles, construction, agriculture, marine, and rail, sold to distributors, workshops, and fleets.
• ZF CV Connect / SCALAR Fleet Orchestration Digital fleet orchestration platform for commercial vehicles enabling fleet management, route optimization, and operational efficiency, sold to commercial fleet operators.
• ZF Switches & Sensors Switches, sensors, and energy harvesting solutions for white goods, automotive, gaming, drives, and control applications, sold to industrial and automotive OEMs.
• ZF Mechanical Engineering (Custom Special Machines) Customized special machine development and construction services for products of the future, with development, production, and commissioning capabilities, sold to internal and external industrial customers.

Quantifiable outcome

• Up to 20% energy consumption reduction in city buses with AxTrax 2 LF electric portal axle
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability13 records

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• Automechanika FrankfurtminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 September 2026ZF will participate in the CEO Talk at Automechanika Frankfurt 2026 alongside representatives from Aumovio, Castrol, Continental, Mann+Hummel, and Schaeffler to discuss industry transformation and emerging business models in the international automotive aftermarket.
• Qingdao Multinationals SummitminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 June 2026ZF executives participated in the 7th Qingdao Multinationals Summit in China, co-hosted by the Shandong Provincial People's Government and Ministry of Commerce, attracting 357 multinationals including 105 Fortune Global 500 companies. ZF signed two-way investment projects as part of the International City Partner Dialogue.
• XCMG GroupflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 June 2026ZF and XCMG Group established ZF (Xuzhou) Machinery Co. Ltd joint venture headquartered in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, China. The partnership focuses on developing and producing advanced powershift transmission systems for agricultural machinery, combining ZF's transmission technology expertise with XCMG's local market position to serve China's rapidly growing agricultural machinery market and enhance international competitiveness.
• Rolls-Royce Power SystemsflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 March 2026ZF and Rolls-Royce Power Systems were commissioned by Germany's Federal Office of Bundeswehr Equipment (BAAINBw) to develop the drive system for the European Main Ground Combat System (MGCS) next-generation battle tank. ZF is developing the eLSG 5000 electrified powershift steering transmission, the world's first parallel-hybrid drive for heavy military tracked vehicles, while Rolls-Royce serves as general contractor supplying the mtu Series 199 hybrid powerpack exceeding 1,400 kW.
• SiliconAutocoreTechnology or Integration · 10 March 2026ZF and SiliconAuto jointly developed and unveiled a new I/O interface chip and companion microcontroller for automotive high-performance computers at Embedded World 2026. The solution enables real-time sensor data acquisition and pre-processing for autonomous driving applications, featuring camera image signal processing and on-chip radar signal processing. The project was supported by the German Federal Ministry for Education, Research and Space under the ZuSEKI-mobil programme.
• IFQM (Indian Foundation for Quality Management)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025Since January 2025, IFQM has launched quality clusters with ZF under its National Quality Mission aimed at helping MSMEs adopt globally benchmarked manufacturing practices. The first ZF cluster completed its inaugural year reporting measurable gains in productivity, defect reduction, and operational discipline.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Robert Bosch: Bosch is the world's largest automotive supplier with a similarly broad mobility portfolio covering driveline, chassis, electronics, ADAS and software-defined vehicle solutions. Directly comparable as a Tier-1 across virtually every ZF product category.
• Continental AG: Continental is a direct competitor across automotive electronics, ADAS, brake systems (via Conti/Ate), drivetrain components and aftermarket. Closely comparable in product breadth and European Tier-1 positioning.
• Schaeffler Group: Schaeffler is a leading driveline and chassis components supplier (bearings, clutch, transmission systems, e-mobility solutions) with overlapping product lines in ZF's transmission, drivetrain and electric mobility businesses.
• Denso: Denso is one of the largest global Tier-1 automotive suppliers with deep exposure to Japanese OEMs and broad portfolios in powertrain, electronics and ADAS—directly comparable in scale and technology breadth to ZF.
• Magna International: Magna is a major Tier-1 with strong positions in drivetrain, ADAS, electronics and complete vehicle engineering. Comparable as a broad-mobility systems integrator supplying global OEMs.
• BorgWarner: BorgWarner is a direct peer in drivetrain and propulsion systems with a strong electrification pivot (e-motors, power electronics). Overlaps with ZF's Electrified Powertrain Technology and commercial vehicle driveline businesses.
• Aisin Corporation: Aisin is a leading global manufacturer of automatic transmissions, drivetrain components and brake systems. Directly comparable to ZF's transmission business supplying Toyota and other global OEMs.
• Aptiv: Aptiv is a Tier-1 focused on vehicle electrical architecture, ADAS, connectivity and software-defined vehicle platforms. Comparable to ZF's ProAI, ProConnect and by-wire product lines.
• Valeo: Valeo is a French Tier-1 with strong positions in ADAS, powertrain electrification, thermal management and lighting. Overlaps with ZF on ADAS (now ceded to Harman) and electrified drivetrain products.

Broad incumbents

• Hyundai Mobis: Hyundai Mobis is a major Korean Tier-1 supplying modules, chassis, electronics and ADAS primarily to Hyundai/Kia. Comparable in product breadth but operates within a captive OEM ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat7 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zf
• Xx.com/zf_group

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A4 records

Investments9 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ZF Group