News: Microelectronics
4 January 2023
Wolfspeed to supply silicon carbide devices for future Mercedes-Benz EV platforms
Wolfspeed Inc of Durham, NC, USA – which makes silicon carbide materials as well as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) power-switching & RF semiconductor devices – is to supply silicon carbide devices to power future Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle (EV) platforms, enabling greater efficiency in the powertrain. Wolfspeed’s semiconductors will be incorporated into next-generation powertrain systems for several Mercedes-Benz vehicle lines.
“Coming from a long-term technical collaboration history between our companies, we have now chosen Wolfspeed as one of our key partners for future silicon carbide devices, thus securing preferred long-term supply, technology and quality of this decisive semiconductor component for our electrification offensive,” says Dr Gunnar Güthenke, head of procurement and supplier quality for Mercedes-Benz.
Wolfspeed says that, by leveraging its expertise and silicon carbide devices to improve vehicle range and power, Mercedes-Benz plans to have some of the most efficient EVs on the road.
“We are pleased to be supporting Mercedes-Benz, an organization with a long, successful history of providing world-class performance and luxury vehicles, as they introduce next-generation EVs to the market with highly efficient power systems,” comments Wolfspeed’s CEO Gregg Lowe. “We are continuing to invest in our manufacturing capacity to support a steepening demand curve for silicon carbide devices that will not only improve EV performance and drive greater consumer adoption, but also support the sustainability efforts of global automotive leaders like Mercedes-Benz.”
The silicon carbide power devices for Mercedes-Benz will be produced at Wolfspeed’s facilities in Durham, North Carolina and its new 200mm Mohawk Valley Fab in Marcy, New York. The Mohawk Valley Fab is the world’s largest silicon carbide fabrication facility and is dramatically expanding Wolfspeed’s production capacity. In September 2022, Wolfspeed also announced it was beginning construction on a new silicon carbide materials facility in North Carolina, which will expand its SiC capacity by more than 10x.
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Wolfspeed to build largest SiC materials plant in Chatham County, North Carolina
