Bosch starts making chips perfect for electric cars with silicon carbide technology that promises faster charging and will expand semiconductor production to hundreds of millions of units

The German giant managed to bring the next evolution of automotive chips into production. They will be fundamental for the evolution of the industry, mainly for electric vehicles.

The arrival of the electric car meant a revolution in the industry. Before long, manufacturers and secondary companies focused on creating and evolving specific components for battery-powered vehicles. Bosch, an industry giant, has managed to develop the next generation of semiconductors, silicon carbide (SiC) chips, which promise to be especially valid for electric vehicles.

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“The future for silicon carbide semiconductors is bright. We want to be a global leader in the manufacture of SiC chips for electric vehicles,” said Harald Kroeger, Board Member of Robert Bosch GmbH. Two years ago, technology and service providers announced that they would proceed with the development and production of SiC chips.

Bosch has developed its own highly complex manufacturing process. Since the beginning of 2021, it has been used in the manufacture of specialty semiconductors, initially as a sample for customer verification. “The electric car boom filled our purchase orders,” says Kroeger.

Recently Bosch, in collaboration with Porsche and Fraunhofer, was immersed in a revolutionary project they called the SiCeffizent project. Now, this study has paid off and the German company has already started manufacturing the chips that promise to revolutionize the industry amid the global semiconductor crisis. Little by little, they will reach manufacturers and the first commercial models that will improve consumption rates.

The semiconductors developed by Bosch with silicon carbide technology are particularly energy efficient, so they are especially useful for energy-consuming applications such as electromobility. The SiC chips guarantee 6% greater efficiency than their conventional silicon counterparts, making better use of the vehicle's resources and extending battery life to a higher level.

In the future, Bosch plans to expand the production capacity of SiC power semiconductors to hundreds of millions of units. With this in mind, the company has already started to expand its cleanroom space at its Reutlingen factory. At the same time, work is being done on 2nd generation SiC chips. This is even more efficient and should be ready for mass production by 2022.

The secret of the perfect chips for electric cars made by Bosch

The secret behind this great yield lies in the tiny atom of carbon that is introduced into the crystalline structure of ultra-pure silicon. This causes matter to offer special physical properties. As an example: SiC semiconductors support higher switching frequencies, losing only half of the energy in the form of heat. Chips are especially important for 800-volt systems, where they allow for faster recharging and better performance.

The advantages seem limitless, and Bosch expects its use to extend over the years, as it will allow for cheaper production of the electric vehicle, requiring fewer cooling systems than current models. Although production has already started, silicon carbide semiconductors will soon start to be supplied to different manufacturers, either as loose chips or installed in electronic systems developed by the company, such as the long-presented CVT gearbox or the new Type 2 charging cable.

Although we are in the middle of the global crisis due to the shortage of semiconductors, Bosch estimates that in the coming years the world market will grow by 30%. To do this, he invested large amounts of money, not only in the study and development of technology, but also in the construction of specific facilities in which to carry out manufacturing. More than 1.000 square meters have already been added, with another 3.000 to be added by the end of 2023. Everything is set to focus the future on more efficient, electric driving.

In a move contrary to Ford and Chevrolet, the multinational auto parts manufacturer Bosch decided to bring its US production to Brazil

The German multinational auto parts manufacturer Bosch was against the movement of car manufacturers Ford, Chevrolet, Honda and Audi, which decided to withdraw or reduce production in Brazil, and brought to Brazil the production of injectors and injector nozzles for trucks that were produced in its factories in the United States, thus expanding the division of diesel injection systems in its factory in Curitiba.

According to the specialist engineer in electronics and telecommunications, Antônio Jorge Martins, Bosch's strategy reflects, above all, the enormous potential of the Brazilian market in the sector.

Furthermore, the intention of the German multinational is to supply not only the domestic market, but also export a large amount – which can reach up to half of production. Check out the full article here.

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