An alternator for a motor vehicle includes a current generation device and a rectifier. The current generation device has multiple phase stator windings in which AC currents are generated. The rectifier is connected to the windings of the current generation device. The rectifier includes multiple sets of first and second diodes for the multiple phase windings. At least one of the first and second diodes of each set is a Schottky diode. A voltage clamping device is connected to the rectifier to protect the Schottky diodes from surge reverse voltage.