Sourcing synchronous reluctance motors from China

Duty and classification for synchronous reluctance motors

Heading 8501 covers electric motors and generators, excluding generating sets. This guide concerns synchronous reluctance motors. The table contains candidate lines from the supplied records, rather than a dedicated code for this motor family. The general multi-phase lines are relevant to industrial models; the small-output lines concern miniature designs only. The supplied records do not cover every output band.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, the selected lines carried 0% duty for goods from China. Their records show no anti-dumping or countervailing duty, suspension or attached import control. The heading's authorised-use suspension concerns a separate single-phase AC commutator motor line. Import VAT is normally 20%; see import duty and VAT.

Give your customs broker the motor construction, rated shaft output, phase arrangement and intended application to confirm the commodity code. Check the complete description and parent output band. Do not select a permanent-magnet or specialised servo line just because the motor is synchronous. For related products within the wider heading, see the switched reluctance motor guide.

Specify the reluctance motor and drive together

Specify continuous shaft output, torque-speed curve, winding voltage, current, duty cycle, cooling and permissible temperature rise. Identify the rotor construction, including whether magnets are present, and distinguish the proposed synchronous reluctance design from a switched reluctance motor. Agree shaft, keyway, flange and terminal-box drawings. Record the intended drive model, control mode, motor parameters and whether feedback is fitted. For a motor assembly that includes a clutch, see our electromagnetic clutch sourcing guide.

Require a demonstration with the intended drive and load. Check loaded starting, stable running through the operating range, restart behaviour and cooling at reduced speed. Record motor efficiency separately from losses in the drive, using agreed test conditions. Confirm with the relevant authority whether motor ecodesign requirements apply to the exact construction and operating method.

For Great Britain, confirm whether the Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations apply to the motor and supply arrangement, and which technical documentation, declaration of conformity, CE or UKCA marking and importer identification are needed. For equipment within scope, importers must ensure accompanying instructions are in easily understandable English. Electromagnetic compatibility rules cover equipment liable to generate electromagnetic disturbance, subject to exceptions. Assess the supplied motor-drive arrangement and arrange testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative small batch of synchronous reluctance motors for a machine builder under 8501 52 20 89, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,100. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,100, so it is £620. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity and fit: compare the motor model, rotor description, nameplate, shaft, keyway, flange holes and terminal orientation with the approved specification. Check arrival damage and corrosion.

Windings and insulation: compare phase resistance with the approved sample and factory records. Perform insulation checks using an agreed method suitable for the supplied motor.

Drive compatibility: run sampled motors with the intended drive and recorded settings. Check rotation direction, loaded starting, stable speed control and feedback operation where fitted.

Load and cooling: record torque, speed, input current, temperature rise, vibration and bearing noise under the agreed duty. Check fan condition and airflow. Put acceptance criteria in the inspection plan.

What goes wrong

A motor can match the shaft and flange yet run poorly because the drive lacks the appropriate control mode or uses unsuitable motor parameters. An unloaded demonstration can hide weak starting torque, unstable operation or overheating under the buyer's load. Approve the motor, drive settings and loaded test record together.

An efficiency claim without its load, speed and cooling conditions does not establish performance in your application. Changes to rotor laminations, windings, bearings or cooling can alter losses, noise and temperature rise. Retain an approved sample and require written agreement before substitutions.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For components and parts, see sourcing for manufacturers.