Bosch's Reutlingen plant will begin producing next-generation microchips next year. The chip uses silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor materials, which are resistant to high temperatures and voltages. Three years later, it will be put into mass production of electric motors. Used in cars.
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According to foreign media reports, German auto parts supplier Robert Bosch will start producing next-generation microchips in Germany next year to power cars and help improve energy efficiency.
Bosch management said that its Reutlingen plant is responsible for producing 150 mm wafers, and the first samples will be delivered to potential customer groups and will be used in a number of mass-produced electric vehicles after three years. The chip uses a different semiconductor material, silicon carbide (SiC), which is resistant to high temperatures and voltages. This chip system is mainly responsible for the repeated transmission of current between the battery and the power system. Bosch declined to disclose customer information for the microchip. Bosch is a major supplier of Volkswagen, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, and these car companies are also accelerating the expansion of their electric vehicle lineup to meet the challenges posed by Tesla.
Although the production process is too complicated, while the chip improves the conductivity, it also reduces the energy loss by 50% in the form of heating. Bosch board member Harald Kroeger said: "Silicon carbide semiconductors have a strong electronic impetus, which means that for the driver, it can increase the mileage by 6%."
Growth opportunity
Bosch positions itself as a future supplier of a full range of semiconductor products for electric vehicles, smart connected cars and autonomous vehicles. Bosch estimates that the average cost of a semiconductor used in each car is around $ 370, and that electric vehicles could add another $ 450 to the cost. In the future, autonomous vehicles will increase the cost of semiconductors per vehicle by an additional $ 1,000. Therefore, even if automobile sales decline, semiconductors also face better growth opportunities.
Bosch believes that the increase in cruising range will also promote the growth of electric vehicle sales. The data it cited showed that 42% of consumers would not buy electric vehicles because of their limited range. In addition, higher electric efficiency also means that the number of batteries may be relatively reduced, which also reduces the cost of the car.
The high temperature resistance of microchips also means that the need to install complex cooling circuits is reduced. Generally, the installation of cooling circuits will increase the weight and production cost of the car. Kroeger said: "For a car company, the cost of producing a 100-kilowatt-hour electric vehicle battery is huge, and a 6% increase in mileage will be significant for these car companies. The increased cost is worth it, and we look forward to the technology being promoted in the future. "
He believes that the market for silicon carbide chips needs to be huge, and Bosch cannot even meet its own needs, and further needs to purchase more SiC chips from the outside for the production of power electronic modules, such as e-Axle electronic power systems. More than 50 microchips are used in a car. In the future, with the large-scale use of autonomous driving and intelligent connected cars, this proportion is expected to continue to grow.
Bosch is currently the main supplier of chips and the largest supplier of micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Micro-chips can be seen in everything from smartphones to aircraft and fitness equipment. Bosch plans to invest 1 billion euros in Dresden to build a 300-mm wafer factory, which will also be the largest single investment in its history.