Power semiconductors are key to EV energy efficiency

 

Since technological innovation is taking place with each passing day, the automotive industry has witnessed rapid transformations. Earlier, auto manufacturers use to try hard to install vehicles with advanced technology. But the level of tech and tech-enabled services in today’s models is such that the ecosystem is witnessing realignment. This change has opened new avenues for the industry as the smart technology is shifting towards battery-operated vehicles, notes Yogesh Bhatarkar.

It is estimated that automotive industry is undergoing a paradigm shift, attempting to make a quick transition to alternative energy sources. India, being part of the same league has been making several attempts to move ahead with modern policies to deal with the accompanying growth in automobiles and shift to electric mobility after considering various factors such as the hassle of oil imports, global climate change issues, scarcity of natural resources, attainment of sustainability, pollution, and so on.

 

Charging infrastructure is a critical factor to determine the country’s EV adoption possibilities.

 

Considering it a great move, the Government of India has proposed several changes to the Central Motor Vehicle Rules, 1989, to encourage electric mobility in India. India aspires to become a major global vehicle market, with several automakers and startups working on relevant segments and tech-enabled gears.

 

In India, the growth of e-mobility requires the mandatory installation of EV charging stations. However, the charging infrastructure is a critical factor to determine the country’s EV adoption possibilities. Since EVs run on batteries, the massive operation of the vehicle leads to the requirement of recharging of the batteries, which also depends on the size and capacity of the battery. As a result, charging stations are important for the long-term operation of electric vehicles.  According to the report by NITI Aayog, there is a possibility that India can have a high level of electric vehicle penetration by 2030.

 

While the transformational push for electric vehicles is a great initiative which is being adopted in all over the world, it brings with it a plethora of opportunities as well as challenges. There are a lot of global manufacturers who have already taken their first move to make the transition of EVs a reality on a large scale. These industry giants have expressed optimism about the growth of electric vehicles and charging stations in India. India is gradually catching up with the rest of the EV charging ecosystem, based on recent developments.

 

The manufacturing part of the EV charging ecosystem and automotive components must meet stringent vehicle safety standards. This ultimately has created a high demand for power semiconductor modules that are developed by power semiconductor manufacturers which provides more reliability than industrial equipment modules.

 

In 1997, Mitsubishi Electric became the first company to mass-produce power semiconductor modules for hybrid vehicles. The company’s power semiconductor devices are key devices for realizing energy saving in power electronics equipment and hold the top position in the global market. Furthermore, their power semiconductor devices are utilized in inverters, boost converters, air-conditioners in EVs (electric vehicles) and HEVs (hybrid electric vehicles). Mitsubishi Electric’s series of power semiconductor modules feature compact packages with small footprints, low power loss and high reliability for use in the inverters of electric and hybrid vehicles.

 

The development of power semiconductor devices has given way to the ultimate development of HEVs and EVs.

 

These power semiconductors are undoubtedly a key to HEV/EV’s energy efficiency and fuel economy. HEV/EVs help in reducing emissions and efficient fuel consumption. The invention of power electronics technology has made it possible to increase the driving mileage thereby enhancing the fuel economy and efficiency.

 

The development of power semiconductor devices has given way to HEV/EVs development. HEV power system, drive, controls, or any luxury application heavily depends on high power switches. The cost, efficiency, comfort and driving range improves with an increase in hybridization, which ultimately means more power electronic applications.

 

Common electric batteries rely on dated technology, limiting their performance. Semiconductor chemistries like Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) allow EV batteries to operate at higher voltages than traditional silicon wafers.

 

Common electric batteries rely on dated technology, limiting their performance. As a result, EVs can suffer from high costs and short life spans. But new semiconductor innovations offer the potential for longer and more efficient battery life. Semiconductor chemistries like Gallium Nitride (GaN) and Silicon Carbide (SiC) allow EV batteries to operate at higher voltages than traditional silicon wafers.

 

According to a report, the power semiconductor market for EVs is expected to take a steep jump, which will be three times increased as compared to the current usage and demand between 2020 and 2026, growing at a rate of 25.7 per cent CAGR to $5.6 billion, driven by a major technology battle between insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) and silicon carbide (SiC) modules.

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Nowadays, there are many semiconductor players who are targeting SiC modules for EV applications, due to which the SiC module market is expected to reach 32 per cent of the total EV/HEV semiconductor market by 2026. If such is the case, there’s no denying that the power semiconductor market will soon have a stronghold on all major industries.

(About the author: Yogesh Bhatarkar is Manager, Semiconductor EV Business, Mitsubishi Electric India Pvt Ltd.)