Automotive-Grade Power Semiconductor and Module (SiC, GaN) Industry Research Report,2025

SiC/GaN Research: Sales volume of 800V+ architecture-based vehicles will increase more than 10 times, and hybrid carbon (SiC+IGBT) power modules are rapidly being deployed in vehicles.

Sales volume of 800V+ architecture-based vehicles will increase more than 10 times, driving the installation of SiC/GaN power chips in vehicles.

The third-generation semiconductors, such as those made from wide-bandgap materials like silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN), are better suited for manufacturing high-temperature, high-frequency, radiation-resistant, and high-power devices due to their wider bandgap, higher breakdown electric field, higher thermal conductivity, greater electron saturation velocity, and higher radiation resistance. They are the primary choice for upgrading the performance of power semiconductors in the new energy vehicle sector.

SiC power devices possess feature high voltage resistance, low loss, and high frequency, catering to high-temperature, high-voltage and high-power applications. They are widely used in key components such as main drive inverters, on-board chargers (OBCs), and DC/DC converters. They are also the best partners for high-voltage architectures. As 800V high-voltage platforms become the mainstream and costs continue to decline, SiC will expand from main drive inverters to fields such as automotive compressors and active suspensions.

GaN power devices have advantages such as high switching frequency, high temperature resistance, and low loss, and can be used to make power, radio frequency, and optoelectronic devices. Because GaN has a higher electron mobility than SiC, GaN can achieve a higher switching frequency. However, its power range is not particularly wide, and its drain-source on-resistance is greatly affected by temperature, thus it has performance disadvantages in high-current and high-temperature scenarios. Currently, GaN has made progress in the automotive field covering OBCs and DC-DC converters.

According to ResearchInChina’s database, there were only 13 800-1000V high-voltage architecture passenger car models on sale in China in 2022. In 2024, the number exceeded 47. By the first half of 2025, the number had reached 70. China's 800V high-voltage architecture passenger cars on sale extend from luxury brands such as Porsche and Mercedes-Benz to mid-range brands such as NIO, Xpeng, and Zeekr, and then to models priced at RMB150,000-200,000 such as those from BYD and Leapmotor.

In 2024, 739,000 passenger cars based on 800-1000V high-voltage architectures were sold in China, accounting for 6.9% of the total sales of new energy passenger cars in the country. It is projected that by 2025, the penetration rate of such passenger cars will reach 10.9%, with the sales volume reaching 1.495 million units. By 2030, the penetration rate will exceed 35%, with shipments exceeding 7.45 million units, more than 10 times the sales volume in 2024.

In the future, more all-SiC BEVs will emerge, involving 800V high-voltage architectures. Under such architectures, key components including air conditioning compressors (3-10kW), battery packs, inverters (5-600kW), DC charging piles, DC/DC converters (1-5kW), and OBCs (3-30kW) will all use SiC devices. Driven by technology, the demand for SiC/GaN power chips (automotive grade, charging equipment, etc.) for passenger cars in China hit 73 million units in 2024, and is expected to reach 146 million units in 2025, representing a year-on-year spike of 98.6%. By 2030, the demand will be 608 million units, and the industry will enter a rapid development stage

While 800V high-voltage platforms are being installed on a large scale in vehicles, BYD is gradually upgrading its vehicles to 1000V platforms, and raising the withstand voltage of automotive SiC power devices to 1500V-1700V accordingly.

BYD has taken the lead in releasing its next-generation automotive-grade 1500V high-power SiC power chip. Equipped with the Super e-Platform, it secures an electronic control efficiency of 99.7% and a cost reduction of 40% compared to imports.
Utilizing stacked laser welding technology and optimizing the chip interconnect structure, it has successfully reduced the stray inductance by 75% and dynamic loss by 30% compared to traditional packaging;
The peak current can reach 1000A, with overcurrent capacity enhanced by 10%;
The charging power can be up to 1000kW, nearly 70% higher than the industry's mainstream 600kW fast charging technology;
The nano-silver sintering technology reduces the thermal resistance of the bonding layer by 95%, improves reliability and extends lifespan by more than 5 times.
By combining Cuclipbonding technology with silicon nitride AMB substrates, the chip size is reduced by 50% and the power density is doubled.

This is the industry's first mass-produced automotive-grade SiC power chip with the highest voltage level, first seen in the Han L EV, Tang L EV, Yangwang U7 and Denza N9.

Dongfeng eπ plans to adopt a 1700V SiC power module on its next-generation ultra-1000V platform. This module was officially launched in June 2025, with a 60% reduction in switching loss. The second-generation SiC chip technology optimizes the gate drive design (supporting +15~+18V drive voltage) and low parasitic inductance packaging (≤10nH), slashing Eon/Eoff loss. Compared to traditional IGBTs, the system efficiency jumps from 96% to 99%, which can extend the vehicle's range by more than 3%.

SiC power devices continue to introduce new packaging technologies to improve efficiency, and hybrid carbon (SiC+IGBT) power modules are rapidly being deployed in vehicles.

SiC power devices continue to introduce new technologies to improve efficiency, such as embedded packaging technology and three-voltage-level topology. Many OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers have launched corresponding solutions.

Embedded packaging technology: High-voltage power chips (such as SiC and GaN chips) are directly embedded in the PCB, replacing traditional discrete power modules, which can significantly improve the high-density integration and performance of electric drive controllers. For the same outflow requirements, the amount of semiconductors used can be reduced by 20%-30% compared to frame-packaged modules. In the WLTC cycle, compared with the 800V SiC frame package, the 800V SiC embedded package reduces energy loss by about 60%, and cuts down switching loss and conduction loss. Moreover, under the same temperature conditions, the lifespan of embedded power modules is several times that of frame-packaged modules.

Three-voltage-level topology: A three-voltage-level inverter circuit can output high and low voltage levels by turning on the upper and lower transistors, and output zero level by clamping the middle diode. Compared to the two-voltage-level solution, the three-voltage-level solution has better waveform quality and less noise; switching loss are reduced by about 75%, device heat generation is less, and lifespan is longer; ripple current is lower, reducing equipment vibration and heat generation, resulting in more stable operation; filter design is more flexible, inductor and capacitor values ​​can be reduced, and size and weight are reduced by 30%-50%; and dynamic response is faster.

GAC Group's new ADiMOTION adopts GAC Quark Electric Drive 2.0. Equipped with an embedded power module, the size reduces by 80% and the maximum electronic control efficiency hits 99.9%. Under a 1000V high-voltage platform, the drive motor power density reaches 17.29kW/kg, and the CLTC operating efficiency of the electric drive system is as high as 93%.

The Chip Inlay Power Board (CIPB), developed by ZF's Asia Pacific R&D team, achieves ultimate inverter performance by embedding power chips into the PCB, reducing stray inductance, increasing volumetric power density, and thus gaining the ultimate inverter performance. At the same time, this technology enables compact and lightweight designs that are compatible with market-standard wafers or dies and allow for free adjustment of semiconductor type, chip quantity, and size.

Geely's latest E-DHT 11-in-1 hybrid system is the first to adopt a hybrid carbon electronic control system, which combines IGBTs and SiC TPAK discrete devices. IGBTs excel at stable output in low-to-medium frequency scenarios, while SiC is more efficient in high-voltage, high-frequency environments. The synergy between the two can enable the power control module to achieve an efficiency of over 99%.

Among them, the hybrid carbon module adopts three-voltage-level SiC high-efficiency technology and has two packaging forms: plastic-encapsulated module and SiC TPAK discrete device. Meanwhile, the SiC stepless boost module can maintain stable system voltage even when the battery level is below 20% through global voltage optimization.

Hybrid carbon (SiC+IGBT) power modules help balance performance and cost and are rapidly being mass-produced and deployed in vehicles. SiC and Si-based power electronics can be used in combination at different levels to achieve a balance between performance and cost.
In inverters built with discrete components, SiC and Si devices can be flexibly mixed and connected in parallel, and SiC and Si can even be mixed at the module level or the device level (bare die).
In a BEV equipped with multiple motors, the main motor inverter can leverage SiC, while the auxiliary motor can use Si. For two-phase or open-winding motors, both power modules can be SiC, Si, or a combination of both.

XPeng's next-generation hybrid SiC coaxial electric drive technology balances cost and performance by optimizing the hybrid application of SiC and silicon-based devices, and has been applied to vehicle models such as the new G9.
The electric drive system boasts a CLTC efficiency of up to 93.5%.
While reducing the amount of SiC chips by 60%, the output power is raised by 10%;
With a coaxial motor layout and compact design, the electric drive system is 30% smaller and 7.5% lighter.
This electric drive technology is based on a global 800V SiC platform and can work in conjunction with 5C superchargeable AI batteries.

GaN devices are entering the automotive OBC field, and may continue to grow in the future.

So far, OEMs including Tesla, Changan Automobile, Mazda, and Geely VREMT, as well as Tier 1 suppliers such as Inovance, UAES and Sungrow, have taken the lead in adopting GaN solutions in the OBC field. From the perspective of GaN suppliers, Innoscience, Infineon, and Navitas are launching automotive electronics.

Inovance's next-generation 6.6kW GaN automotive 2-in-1 power supply integrates an OBC and a DC-DC converter. It uses GaN power devices to achieve an industry-leading charging efficiency of 96% and a total power density of 4.8kW/L. Compared to traditional Si/SiC solutions, the power density is increased by 30% to 4.8kW/L, the average efficiency of the OBC at full load exceeds 96%, and the operating efficiency of the DC/DC converter is as high as 97.09%@700W. Compared to traditional Si/SiC solutions, the weight is reduced by 20%.

This product is suitable for vehicles with battery voltage ranges from 200V to 500V. It has optimized both the power circuit and the high-frequency high-power PCB wiring technology to reduce interference and loss caused by high-speed switching. The magnetic components of cascaded/parallel converters are integrated into a single design, systematically optimizing size and loss. For heat dissipation, a water channel structure with an integrated profile design increases the heat dissipation area, and reduces thermal resistance, size and weight.

In addition to OBCs, GaN chips, with their narrow pulse, high peak current, and high efficiency, can achieve longer detection distances and reduce power loss and temperature rise, better catering to automotive LiDAR systems. Furthermore, the application of GaN in DC-DC converters is expanding. GaN devices are gradually penetrating the new energy vehicle field, and their potential growth should not be ignored.

Please Note: PDF E-mail from Publisher purchase option allows up to 10 users and does not allow printing or editing. This functionality will require a Global Site License. Show more