BorgWarner on Monday announced that its 400V Silicon Carbide (SiC) inverter has been selected by a European OEM to power various models of its battery-electric vehicles.
This latest business win further supports BorgWarner's recently announced electrification strategy 'Charging Forward,' which outlines an aim for the company's electric vehicle revenue to grow to approximately 45% by 2030, along with a commitment to achieving carbon neutrality by 2035.
The inverter features dual-sided cooled power switches, providing a significant breakthrough in vehicle electrification and offering OEMs superior operational characteristics such as enhanced driving performance and a more extended range. Vehicle production with BorgWarner's SiC inverter is slated for 2023.
The new SiC inverter design builds on the company's cooling technology to reduce semi-conductor area and SiC material, offering a lighter and smaller system at a lower cost than other silicon-based inverters. In addition, the system features improved durability through its wire-bondless power switch design in which SiC metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor power switches have replaced the silicon-isolated gate bipolar transistor power switches. This delivers up to a 70% reduction in switching losses, offering OEMs improved performance and reduced costs for their electrified propulsion systems.
Where most inverters today rely on silicon as their semiconductor material, performance can suffer at higher voltages. BorgWarner's SiC inverter provides enhanced results in high-power applications through improved switching efficiency and increased junction temperature capabilities.
Dr Stefan Demmerle, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems, said, 'With the global push for vehicle electrification, there is a significantly increased demand for electric vehicle technology that can support higher efficiency in real-world driving. This is where our SiC inverter with its dual-sided cooled power switches can make a significant difference. The new technology offers greater power density, reduced switching losses, proven performance, and the long-term reliability they need.'