When you’re choosing a linear motion solution for an industrial or automation project, three names come up often: Electric Cylinder, Electro-Hydraulic Linear Actuator (EHLA) – sometimes called an electro-hydraulic push rod, and the traditional Hydraulic Cylinder.

But which one is right for your application?

Let’s break them down side‑by‑side.

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First, what exactly is each one?

• Electric cylinder: A servomotor or stepper motor drives a ballscrew or leadscrew. No hydraulics involved.
  → Clean, precise, electric-only.

• Electro‑hydraulic linear actuator (EHLA): A small electric motor drives a gear pump, which moves hydraulic oil inside a compact, self‑contained unit. No external power pack.
  → A hybrid – oil stays inside, but no separate hydraulic station.

• Hydraulic cylinder: Requires an external hydraulic power unit (HPU) – pump, tank, valves, hoses – to push oil into the cylinder.
  → Traditional, powerful, but system‑heavy.

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Side‑by‑side comparison

Feature	Electric Cylinder	Electro‑Hydraulic Actuator (EHLA)	Hydraulic Cylinder
Force range	Small to medium (typically ≤200 kN / 20 tons)	Medium (2–100 kN / 0.2–10 tons)	Very large (tons to 1000+ tons)
Speed range	Low to medium (a few mm/s – several hundred mm/s)	Slow to medium (best for moderate speeds)	Very wide (very slow to very fast)
Position accuracy	Highest (micrometer level, closed‑loop)	Medium (millimeter level, rarely closed‑loop)	Low (mm – cm) unless external sensors are added
Control simplicity	Very easy (electrical servo drive)	Fair (motor on/off or simple feedback)	Complex (requires HPU, valves, controls)
Cleanliness	Excellent – no oil	Fair – small internal oil volume, but can leak	Poor – external HPU, hoses, potential leaks
Overload tolerance	Low – can damage screw if crashed	Good – built‑in relief valve protects the unit	Excellent – naturally tolerant of shocks and overloads
Maintenance	Low (grease or no lubrication)	Medium (check oil level, small filter)	High (HPU oil changes, seals, hoses, filters)
Typical applications	3C assembly, medical devices, lab equipment, small automation	Furnace doors, dump truck covers, livestock equipment, simple lifts	Presses, excavators, injection molding, heavy industrial lifts
Total installed cost	Small/medium force: moderate to high Large force: very high	Low to moderate (self‑contained, fast installation)	Low to moderate (for large forces – but HPU adds cost)

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How to choose – a quick rule of thumb

✅ Choose the electric cylinder if

• You need high positioning accuracy (micrometers)

• The environment must be clean (no oil)

• Force is under 5–10 tons

• You want simple electrical control (EtherCAT, Pulse, etc.)

✅ Choose the electro‑hydraulic actuator if

• You need medium force (a few tons)

• You don’t have a hydraulic power unit (and don’t want one)

• A little oil leakage is acceptable (minimal risk)

• Cost is more important than precision

✅ Choose the traditional hydraulic cylinder if

• Force is very high (>20–50 tons)

• The environment is harsh (dust, shock, vibration)

• You already have a hydraulic power unit on site

• Initial equipment cost is the main driver (but ignore long‑term maintenance) 

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One hidden detail people miss

• Electric cylinder: Force and speed are largely decoupled – you can have high force at low speed or moderate speed at lower force (limited by motor power).

• Electro‑hydraulic actuator: Speed drops noticeably under high load – not ideal for constant‑speed, high‑force applications.

• Hydraulic cylinder: With a properly sized HPU, you can have both high force and high speed – but efficiency is poor because the pump runs continuously.

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Final takeaway

• If you drew a simple decision flow:

  1. Force > 20 tons? → Hydraulic cylinder

  2. High precision (µm) needed? → Electric cylinder

  3. Medium force, no HPU, budget matters? → Electro‑hydraulic actuator

  Each technology has its home. The key is matching the application’s real constraints – force, speed, accuracy, cleanliness, and total cost of ownership – not just the first purchase price.