Chinese automakers are stepping up efforts developing SiC components that support high-efficiency, small-form-factor and lightweight needs for electric vehicles' (EV) power systems, according to sources from the upstream supply chain.

The global SiC power component market had a scale of US$1.09 billion in 2021 and the value is expected to reach US$6.3 billion in 2027 with a 7-year CAGR of 34%, according to figures from Yole Developpement. The EV will be the market with the fastest growth for SiC power components with the scale expected to rise from US$1.6 billion in 2022 to US$4.6 billion and a CAGR of 30% during the period.

BYD began in-house development of SiC chips at the end of 2020 and is set to fully replace the insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) components in its own-brand EVs with SiC ones by 2023. In June, BYD also invested in China-based SiC company Tianyu.

Bosch announced to start volume producing automotive SiC power semiconductors in December 2020. The company formed a partnership with JAC in April 2021 to push the development of SiC power converter.

China-based automaker Geely Automobile also announced in August 2021 it would adopt SiC components from Rohm in its EVs and would use Rohm's SiC solutions to develop high-efficient engine control units (ECUs) and auto power charging systems.

Chinese automaker Nio's subsidiary XPT (Nanjing) E-Powertrain Technology announced in September 2021 it would build a lab for developing SiC power modules. Another China-based automaker Xpeng also invested in SiC semiconductor company Inventchip Technology in February 2022.

China-based semiconductor developer Silan will also see its subsidiary's new production lines for making SiC power components begin to be utilized in the fourth quarter of 2022.

Chinese semiconductor company Ncepower has already demonstrated several SiC MOSFETs and is set to release several products for solar and automotive applications in the second half of 2022 and will gradually expand production in 2023.

China-based CRRC Times Electric also recently announced to invest CNY462 million (US$67.14 million) to enhance its SiC chip production lines and is set to process 25,000 6-inch wafers for SiCs annually.

China-based substrate specialist SICC will also begin selling 6-inch conductive SiC substrates to clients in 2023, while another substrate company JSG will accelerate its volume production of 6-inch SiC products. In March 2022, the company began constructing production lines for making 400,000 6-inch and above conductive and insulated SiC substrates each year as the company had obtained orders for over 230,000 units of SiC substrates in February 2022.

However, non-China SiC developers are still leading Chinese companies in technology as Wolfspeed announced to begin pilot production at its new 8-inch SiC factory in April 2022 with the factory to begin shipments in the first half of 2023.