The circumstances in the global automotive market are evolving quickly, with electric vehicles (EV) becoming not a niche product anymore, but a general transportation option. Governments, auto manufacturers, and users are raising awareness to cleaner mobility, and EVs are spreading all over the world.
Not only is this shift altering the way vehicles are powered, but it is also radically transforming the demand for automotive power semiconductors, which are essential parts that handle and transform electrical energy in electric vehicles.
You can check global automotive semiconductor market report for more in-depth insights.
Places of Power Semiconductors in EVs
Power semiconductors are fundamental devices that regulate and transform electrical power in an efficient manner. Use of semiconductor is relatively less in the traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles and is mainly involved in infotainment systems, safety electronics, and engine management. Nevertheless, EVs depend on power electronics that control the high-voltage energy flux between the battery, motor, and charging.
Inventive power semiconductors are a part of one of the most significant components, such as inverters, onboard chargers, DC-DC converters, and battery management systems. All these factors ensure efficient conversion of energy, efficient working of the battery and other simple features of the vehicle. As more people move towards EVs, more of them are switching to more complicated power semiconductors in their vehicles.
Electrification to Boost Demand
Electric cars use significantly more semiconductors than traditional cars. Industry estimates indicate that EVs may have two to three times more semiconductor value than ICE vehicles, especially in power devices. This mainly comes as a result of the high-voltage system needed to drive electric motors.
As an illustration, traction inverters take direct current (DC) in the battery and convert it to alternating current (AC) to power the electric motors. The inverters use power semiconductor materials, including insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs extensively. With the advancements in semiconductor technologies, there is an increasing demand for the development of advanced technologies in semiconductors as automakers strive to achieve greater efficiency, high speed in charging, and longer range of driving.
Moreover, the trend to 800 V battery systems in new EVs is enhancing the growing popularity of wide-bandgap semiconductors such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride (GaN). These materials are more efficient, thermally efficient and less loss of power than what is the case with the traditional silicon-based devices.
Pressures and Opportunities of Supply Chain
The high number of EV manufacturing is exerting a lot of strain on the international semiconductor supply chain. Over the past few years, the auto industry has recorded a shortage of chips that has caused a delay in the production of vehicles. With the increasing demand for EVs, the stabilization of the supply of automotive-grade semiconductors has become a strategic concern amongst the automakers and semiconductor manufacturers, as well.
As a reaction, semiconductor firms are increasing production capacity and investing in new fabrication plants specific to automobile usage. In the meantime, semiconductor suppliers are establishing strategic alliances with automakers to enable them to engage in long-term contracts.
This dynamic ecosystem is generating significant growth opportunities for semiconductor makers, particularly power electronics and advanced materials makers.
New Ideas and Prospects
With the next generation of EV technology, the use of power semiconductors will be increasingly useful in determining the performance of the vehicle. Novelty in semiconductor packaging, thermal management and integration is contributing to enhance power, efficiency and lessen the system size and weight.
Besides, the development of autonomous driving technologies and connected vehicles will further increase the semiconductor content in EVs. The electric cars of the future will be based on a mix of power semiconductors, sensors, processors, and AI chips to provide the advanced functionality.
The automotive power semiconductors will be sustained in the long run because of the rapid electrification of transportation. Those firms that have invested in innovation, capacity and resilience in their supply chain will be in a good position to reap the rewards of this transformative change.
FAQs
- What is the importance of power semiconductors in electric cars?
- Power semiconductors are used to manage and transform electrical energy in EV systems, including inverters, onboard chargers and battery management systems. They guarantee the effective use of energy, enhance performance, and contribute to the fact that the process of charging becomes quicker.
- How do EVs affect demand for semiconductors in comparison to traditional vehicles?
- Electric vehicles contain a large number of semiconductor components, especially in power electronics to operate large-voltage battery systems and electric motors. This increases the vehicle content in the semiconductor.
- Which semiconductor technologies are common in EVs?
- Some of the devices such as IBGTs based on silicon, silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs, and gallium nitride (GaN). This type of material is used in the improvement of efficiency, reduction in power loss and high voltage EV architecture.
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