In today's wave of electrification in the electric vehicle industry, main drive inverter technology based on silicon carbide (SiC) materials is changing the entire market competition with its disruptive performance. With its characteristics such as high pressure resistance, high thermal conductivity and low loss, SiC has redefined the performance limits of core components of new energy vehicles, driving the entire industry to rapidly develop in the direction of longer battery life and higher energy efficiency.
Silicon carbide for large-scale applications
The main drive inverter is like the heart of an electric vehicle, directly affecting the overall performance of the vehicle. The application of silicon carbide has brought powerful performance improvements to this core component. Major car companies have adopted this technology, causing the market share of silicon carbide in the field of main drive inverters to rapidly expand, heralding a profound technological revolution. A revolution is rising.
Forecast data from NE Times shows that in China's new energy passenger vehicle market, the share of the 800V high-voltage SiC platform will grow the fastest in the next five years, followed by 800V IGBT and 400V SiC, which are mainly used for auxiliary drive of 800V four-wheel drive vehicles. As automakers shift more aggressively toward pure electric vehicles, the market for plug-in hybrids and hybrid electric vehicles will gradually decrease, while the market for sedans and crossover pure electric vehicles will continue to grow. The large-scale application of silicon carbide is accelerating.
High power + low losses: the attraction of efficiency
The transformation of vehicle powertrains from internal combustion engines to electric drives is an important part of the current automotive revolution. The importance of the main drive inverter in electric vehicles is self-evident. It converts the energy stored in the battery into controllable motor output energy. Silicon carbide has multiple advantages over silicon, making it the material of choice for main drive inverter designs.
Silicon carbide has higher physical hardness, stronger thermal conductivity, greater breakdown voltage, and wide bandgap properties, resulting in lower energy losses. The EliteSiC power module provided by ON Semiconductor uses the latest planar structure EliteSiC MOSFET to achieve efficient power conversion to meet the needs of 800V DC from the battery to the rear axle AC drive.
Some of the products and solutions that ON Semiconductor can provide in automotive powertrain systems
ON Semiconductor's smart power solutions not only perform well in terms of power density, efficiency and reliability, providing reliable power supply guarantees for electric vehicles, but its ADAS and automation system solutions also promote the semi-automation of modern vehicles, improve the safety performance of vehicles, and realize The goal of fully autonomous driving has taken a critical step. The application of silicon carbide is leading a new era of electric vehicle technology, bringing more efficient and reliable drive solutions to the industry.