Brembo’s Beyond product line aims to bring environmental and cost savings for customers.
Brembo Beyond is a product of the company’s mission to “provide braking solutions that significantly improve the driving dynamics of new mobility vehicles, while also reducing their overall environmental footprint and saving money for their owners.” As of writing, garages in the aftermarket can already access two Brembo Beyond product lines, each founded on the company’s six decades of developing OE braking technologies with top vehicle manufacturers and racing teams: the Brembo Beyond EV Kit for electric vehicles and the Greenance Kit for LCVs.
The Brembo Beyond EV Kit – which was awarded a place in the innovation gallery at Madrid’s 2022 Motortec exhibition, no less – comprises a range of first-to-market pads and discs that are tailor-made for the most popular electric cars on the road. Because battery electric vehicles use regenerative braking in addition to traditional dissipative braking, the friction brakes are used less. Over time, this means the brake components can become rusty, affecting safety and escalating maintenance costs. Brembo’s goal was to create an EV brake kit that was effective, silent and long-lasting, as well as being lightweight and corrosion resistant. Beyond EV pads and discs are designed to meet these criteria by applying many of the technological advances developed for the OE market.
To achieve these aims, each Beyond EV pad features a dedicated, highly durable copper-free friction material and galvanised backing plate which reduce dust and noise when braking. Beyond EV discs also receive a special anti-corrosion treatment on their braking surface. Together, the combined system guarantees highly efficient, extended braking performance for electric cars, along with rust protection beyond 60,000 miles of road use, even in the toughest conditions. There is a Beyond EV Kit for all the most popular battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles on the road, including Tesla Models 3, S, X and Y, Audi e-tron, Renault Zoe, Nissan Leaf and BMW i3, so there should be enough to keep the aftermarket happy.
Bigger vehicles covered
Those workshops working on bigger vehicles aren’t being left in the cold, however. The flipside of the Beyond coin is the Brembo Beyond Greenance Kit. This solution’s eco-friendly discs and pads are engineered to bring customers both cost savings and environmental advantages. Each kit consists of a special alloy brake disc designed for high wear resistance, partnered with a brake pad featuring a unique friction compound. The resulting system offers more than just stopping power over many thousands of LCV and sedan driving miles. The particulate emissions usually produced by brake deployment are slashed by 83 per cent in PM10 and 80 per cent in PM2.5 when compared to a standard disc. What’s more, the expected lifetime of the disc is tripled compared to what Brembo is calling a “standard aftermarket solution”. According to the Italian company, this leads to cost savings averaging 15 per cent over the total life of the vehicle – making a significant impact on the bottom line for owner-drivers and fleet operators.
To make these benefits available to every aftermarket customer, Brembo has ensured there is a Greenance Kit for all the most popular European LCV models, such as the Ford Transit, VW Transporter, Renault Master, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Renault Trafic, Peugeot Expert, Citroën Jumper and Fiat Ducato and the most important sedans used for fleet and business cars. With a parc coverage of 70 per cent, every workshop can prioritise the Greenance Kit for LCV and sedan brake replacements. Not only will customers have the reassurance of an OE-developed system that lasts three times longer but they will also save money in the long run. Perhaps more importantly, they will be contributing to a reduction in particle emissions, which, experts have been keen to emphasise in recent years, are playing a greater role as gas emissions are reduced. In testament to these advances, Brembo was named as a top innovator for its Greenance Kit in the European Association of Automotive Suppliers (CLEPA) awards 2023.
Braking systems play a vital role in shaping the future of mobility and Brembo is proving itself to be determined in enhancing the driving dynamics of the next generation of vehicles, which pleasantly goes hand in hand with the greater good of the planet. These current ranges are, Brembo says, just the first of many eco-minded solutions and the company has stated that its aim is that “every new solution will be greener than the one before”. Big words for a company whose distinctive red paint has defined its identity for so many years and a hugely reassuring step for all those in the automotive industry who would like to see a cleaner, greener world to explore.
