Shanghai (ZXZC)- BYD is expected to launch a self-built SiC (Silicon Carbide) production line next year and the planning is underway, according to a local media outlet, quoting Yang Qinyang, director of BYD's semiconductor product business.

Photo credit: BYD

He revealed BYD's automotive-grade IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor) and SiC MOSFET (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor) have developed into their fifth and third generations respectively. The company is on course to develop the fourth-generation SiC MOSFET.

With the IGBT and SiC at its core, BYD's IDM (integrated device manufacturing) power semiconductor unit involves a slew of businesses including chip design, wafer fabrication, packaging and testing of modules as well as complete vehicle application. BYD has developed its SiC MOSFET, which is firstly introduced in the four-wheel drive version of BYD's flagship sedan, the Han EV.

The automaker expects the SiC power semiconductor to be fully applied across its electric vehicle (EV) lineup, ultimately replacing IGBT.

BYD determines to build its self-owned SiC production line perhaps due to the lack of capacity. Wu Haiping, director of chip R&D, BYD Semiconductor's Power Semiconductor Product Center, said in mid-September the supply of SiC was short of demand as the production capacity was gradually climbing and the preorders of rear-wheel-drive BYD Han EV were far beyond the company's expectation. “However, the capacity will satisfy the sales demand of the BYD Han four-wheel drive version from the fourth quarter onwards,” he added.

SiC is being widely used in the NEV-related power control unit, inverter, DC-DC converter as well as onboard charger. According to the market research institute Omdia, the global size of power semiconductor market is forecasted to reach roughly $43.1 billion in 2020 and surpass $50 billion in 2024.