Code Change Summary: Design BE and CE motors were added to Article 430 to establish ampacity rules for these new motor designs.

SME commentary: In the 2026 NEC^®, new motor types identified as Design BE and Design CE were introduced throughout Article 430, including new Section 430.22(H), revisions to Table 430.52(C)(1), and the addition of Table 430.251(C). These two new motor designs are the result of international alignment efforts with high-efficiency motor standards such as IEC IE4, which represent advanced “Super Premium” efficiency levels now being recognized in both North America and Europe. New section 430.22(H) provides ampacity requirements for single motor installations by specifying that conductors supplying a single Design BE or CE motor used in a continuous-duty application must have an ampacity of not less than 125 percent of the motor full-load current rating, as determined by 430.6(A)(1). For non-continuous-duty applications, conductor sizing remains governed by 430.22(E).

The change corresponds with updates in 430.7(A)(9) and the new Table 430.251(C), which lists maximum locked-rotor currents for Design BE and CE motors. These new motor types were created to meet increasing efficiency levels required by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and by European regulatory standards. Higher efficiency levels inherently raise the locked-rotor current (LRC) values, prompting the need for new motor designations to clearly distinguish these characteristics from the traditional NEMA motor designs (Design A, B, C, and D).

Manufacturers and energy advocates, including NEMA and the DOE, have agreed that these new design letters are necessary to ensure consistent performance expectations for the next generation of high-efficiency motors. European motor manufacturers have already adopted the equivalent designations NE and HE, which correspond closely to the new NEMA BE and CE motor designs, respectively. By defining upper limits for locked-rotor current, these new designs promote safer system coordination by helping engineers and installers properly size conductors, overcurrent devices, and motor controllers.

New Section 430.22(H), along with other revisions in Article 430 recognizing Design BE and CE motor types, complements both the efficiency and safety objectives of the NEC^® by ensuring that ampacity requirements for these new motor designs align with their higher locked-rotor current characteristics while maintaining consistency with conductor sizing methods applied to other motor types.

Below is a preview of the NEC^®. See the actual NEC^® text at NFPA.ORG for the complete code section. Once there, click on their link to free access to the 2026 NEC^® edition of NFPA 70.

2023 Code Language:

This code section did not exist.

2026 Code Language:

430.22(H) Design BE and CE Motors. Conductors that supply a single Design BE or CE motor used in a continuous duty application shall have an ampacity of not less than 125 percent of the motor full-load current rating, as determined by 430.6(A)(1). Conductors that supply a single Design BE or CE motor used in an application other than continuous duty shall have an ampacity per 430.22(E).