News: Microelectronics
31 October 2022
Wolfspeed to supply silicon carbide power devices for Jaguar Land Rover’s next-gen EVs
Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA has announced a strategic partnership to supply silicon carbide (SiC) power devices to UK-based Jaguar Land Rover for its next-generation electric vehicles (EVs), delivering increased powertrain efficiency and extended driving range.
Under its Reimagine strategy, Jaguar Land Rover is transforming to an electric-first business, aiming to become carbon net-zero across its supply chain, products, services and operations by 2039.
Wolfspeed’s SiC technology will be used specifically in the vehicles’ inverter, managing the transfer of power from the battery to the electric motors. The first Range Rover vehicles with this technology will be available from 2024, and the new all-electric Jaguar brand the following year.
The partnership builds on Wolfspeed’s existing relationship with the race-winning Jaguar TCS Racing team competing in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, where its SiC technology has been used to accelerate on-track efficiency and performance.
The agreement is the latest in Jaguar Land Rover’s program of establishing strategic partnerships with industry leaders for its future modern luxury vehicles: in February, it announced a partnership with NVIDIA focused on software-defined automated driving systems for next-generation vehicles, starting in 2025.
“We are not strangers, having collaborated together with the Jaguar TCS Racing team for the last five seasons,” notes Jaguar Land Rover’s CEO Thierry Bolloré. “By developing that into a strategic partnership as part of our Reimagine strategy, we can integrate Wolfspeed’s advanced silicon carbide technology into our next-generation electric vehicles, delivering extended range and performance capabilities for our clients,” he adds.
“Wolfspeed is proud to partner with Jaguar Land Rover, supporting its bold commitment to electrify its iconic brands by using silicon carbide’s superior performance, efficiency and range,” says Wolfspeed’s president & CEO Gregg Lowe. “The energy efficiency of silicon carbide will play an essential role as Jaguar Land Rover pursues its own zero carbon goals, and as the world transitions to an all-electric transportation future.”
The partnership agreement sees Jaguar Land Rover participate in the Wolfspeed Assurance of Supply Program, to secure the supply of the technology for future EV production needs. Jaguar Land Rover says this will enable greater visibility and control over its future supply chain and is key to the new value chain approach of its operations and supply chain under the leadership of Barbara Bergmeier, executive director of Industrial Operations.
Wolfspeed’s technology is powering electric propulsion systems across the entire voltage spectrum – from 400V to 800V. The SiC power devices will be produced at Wolfspeed’s Mohawk Valley Fab in Marcy, New York, which opened in April as the world’s largest 200mm silicon carbide fabrication plant. The fully automated facility dramatically expands capacity for Wolfspeed’s SiC technologies, which will supply the increasing demand for EV production and other advanced technology sectors around the world.
