You don’t see them, but they are crucial for improving the efficiency of electrified vehicles: semiconductors and transistors. Progress has been made in this field recently.
Whether in low-voltage electronics or power electronics, semiconductors and transistors are everywhere. In your smartphone, computer, household appliances, or cars, transistors are the basic element of electronics. They allow the transmission or blocking of an electrical signal – they are both insulators and conductors, hence the name “semiconductor”. Their multiplicity ensures a more or less significant computing power depending on the number and type of transistors used. But more than miniaturization, the efficiency of these small components invisible to the naked eye is the key. Efficiency will depend on the semiconductor used in the transistor.
In the automotive sector, progress is being made with the use of silicon carbide. Toyota has been a pioneer in using silicon carbide in its hybrids since the early 2010s. Semiconductors represent up to 20% of losses in hybrid or electric vehicles. They are crucial in power electronics, the “brain” of energy management in a fully electric vehicle.
Onsemi, a global semiconductor leader, has introduced a new generation of MOSFET transistors. The goal is reduced costs and decreased losses at equivalent electrical power. The democratization of silicon carbide is lowering its price, making it more accessible. Electric vehicles will benefit from faster charging and longer range with equivalent battery capacity. The key to these transistors? The use of silicon carbide, of course.