Sensata Technologies Launches STEV High-Voltage Contactors to Power Next-Generation Electric Vehicles
Published: 16 Jan 2026
Author: Precedence Research
Sensata Technologies has announced the introduction of its new STEV series of high-voltage contactors. This product range is designed to meet the rapidly evolving needs of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). With the increasing pace of electrification efforts by automakers and the transition to more complex high-voltage platforms.
Sensata makes the STEV series a key contributor to safety, efficiency, and reliability. These are contactors, which are high-performance electrical switches charged with repeatedly opening and closing circuits. They handle the flow of power between major vehicle components, including batteries, inverters, and onboard chargers, during the lifecycle of a vehicle.
Sensata is taking on a fundamental problem of global OEMs, which is the demand to have strong, scalable, and standardized components that can run reliably over a diverse mix of vehicle platforms. STEV's portfolio is designed to accommodate a variety of current ratings and applications, including passenger plug-in hybrids, battery electric pickup trucks, and even Class 8 commercial heavy-duty trucks. Sensata enables scalability in the vehicle segments to help manufacturers to simplify their development, minimize platform complexity, and minimize time-to-market to meet high safety standards.
Design flexibility has also been added by Sensata to the STEV series, with single or dual assembly options, and bidirectional current options on some models, using non-polarized main contacts. The features are getting more significant because EV power architecture is becoming more sophisticated and needs components. Those that are capable of operating regenerative brake, bi-directional charging, and advanced energy management plans. In addition to the performance of its products, Sensata also emphasizes its manufacturing and engineering presence in the world as one of its strategic benefits to OEM customers.
The company has facilities in North America, Europe, and Asia, which facilitate localized production and in-region supply. They are assisting the automakers with risks involved in supply chains and with sourcing demands in the region. Furthermore, the Sensata has the potential to serve a wide range of markets and production volumes, which makes the STEV series a building block in the electric mobility system of the future.