Hitachi vs Yaskawa:Which is more popular?
In September 2026, Yaskawa had more branded searches than Hitachi among VFD drives brands worldwide. Yaskawa had about 40,500 branded searches, while Hitachi had 320. Yaskawa made up 1.4% of all VFD drives brand searches we track, and Hitachi accounted for 0.01%. When we asked ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews about VFD drives brands, Yaskawa appeared in all five answers and Hitachi in none.
Who do people search for more?
Yaskawa, about 127 searches for every 1 for Hitachi
Who does AI mention more?
Yaskawa, mentioned in every answer we collected
Who does AI recommend more?
Yaskawa, the only one of the two named
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Top VFD drives brands in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews
In three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Yaskawa appeared in all five answers. Hitachi did not appear in any of the five answers.
Most recommended by AI
Brands get a higher ranking if they are mentioned earlier in the answers.
ABB1st- Danfoss2nd
Siemens3rd- Yaskawa4th
Schneider Electric5th
Rockwell Automation6th
Mitsubishi Electric7th
Hitachi–
Mentioned by AI
Each dot is one answer, filled in when that answer mentions the brand.
ABB5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers- Danfoss5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
- Yaskawa5 of 5Named in 3 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Siemens4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Schneider Electric4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Rockwell Automation4 of 5Named in 2 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Mitsubishi Electric3 of 5Named in 1 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 2 of 2 Google answers
Hitachi0 of 5Named in 0 of 3 ChatGPT answersNamed in 0 of 2 Google answers
See every answer about VFD drives brands
5 answers
Asked ChatGPT
“Which VFD drive brand should I buy?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What are the best VFD drive brands?”
Asked ChatGPT
“What's the best VFD drive brand for industrial motors?”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“vfd drive brands”
Searched Google, AI Overview
“variable frequency drive brands”
Not named in any answer:
Brands are shown in the order each answer named them. The survey took place in the United States on October 21, 2026.
Is Hitachi or Yaskawa more popular in search?
This chart shows how often people search Google for Hitachi and Yaskawa by name. Each line represents a brand's share of searches for all eight VFD drives brands we track, month by month, from English-language searches worldwide.
Share of searches by month for Yaskawa, Hitachi. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of searches table
| Month | Siemens | Schneider Electric | ABB | Danfoss | Mitsubishi Electric | Rockwell Automation | Yaskawa | Hitachi |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 41.9% | 18.9% | 23.1% | 6.9% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1.7% | 0.01% |
| Nov 2025 | 49% | 18% | 18% | 6.6% | 3.6% | 3.6% | 1.3% | 0.01% |
| Dec 2025 | 46.9% | 17.3% | 21.2% | 6.3% | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1.3% | 0.01% |
| Jan 2026 | 44.4% | 20% | 20% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 1.5% | 0.01% |
| Feb 2026 | 44.4% | 20% | 20% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 1.5% | 0.01% |
| Mar 2026 | 41.6% | 23% | 18.8% | 6.9% | 4.6% | 3.8% | 1.4% | 0.01% |
| Apr 2026 | 44% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 6% | 4.9% | 4% | 1.5% | 0.01% |
| May 2026 | 44.1% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 6% | 4.9% | 4% | 1.2% | 0.01% |
| Jun 2026 | 43.6% | 19.6% | 19.6% | 5.9% | 5.9% | 3.9% | 1.4% | <0.01% |
| Jul 2026 | 44% | 19.9% | 19.9% | 6% | 4.9% | 4% | 1.5% | <0.01% |
| Aug 2026 | 44.6% | 20.1% | 20.1% | 6% | 4% | 4% | 1.2% | 0.01% |
| Sep 2026 | 42.5% | 23.5% | 19.2% | 5.8% | 3.8% | 3.8% | 1.4% | 0.01% |
How has the Hitachi and Yaskawa comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Yaskawa was ahead of Hitachi in every measured month of the 12 months ending September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Hitachi’s share of searches among VFD drives brands worldwide held steady at 0.01%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 390 to 320.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Yaskawa’s share of searches among VFD drives brands worldwide moved from 1.7% to 1.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 49.5K to 40.5K.
How did search popularity change for VFD drives brands worldwide in September 2026?
2 changes
How are branded searches counted?
2 search terms
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Hitachi’s and Yaskawa’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Other head-to-heads among VFD drives brands

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