a +$2 billion market for modules: a big opportunity for power electronics

ELECTRICAL ARCHITECTURES ARE CHOSEN BUT SUPPLY CHAIN KEEPS ON CHANGING

 
The powertrain supply chain is being absorbed by car makers on one side and power device module makers on the other, leaving few free space to tier one suppliers. The supply-chain is literally changing. With EV/HEV, the traction’s main part becomes the inverter and the motor. We will experience great improvements with innovative switches, inverter designs and topology, regenerative braking etc…
Car manufacturers need to keep that added value, and thus they already started covering the value-chain starting from the semiconductor die. Toyota is even deeper in the supply chain with silicon wafer production capability. GM is closer to Delphi, and they still have manufacturing available at Kokomo (US). And we can’t forget the Chinese companies. BYD is now producing IGBTs, and many Chinese semiconductor foundries are now able to do the same.


CHINA: MARKET OPPORTUNITY OR COMPETITIVE THREAT?

China will soon have enough experience to enter foreign markets. The companies in an uncertain position are the European ones: Volkswagen, PSA or Daimler do not have such advantages, and may play with their tier-ones (Valeo, Continental, etc.).

This is also an opportunity for new players. Tesla and Coda are one of those who can come and play with the big ones.

In addition, Chinese companies, supported by the Chinese government already benefit from big car brands and electrified transportation platform to first protect the local market from Occidental and Japanese ones and then expand abroad.


TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENTS: ACTIVE, PASSIVES AND SYSTEM INTEGRATION

Technology wise, we see a common interest from car manufacturers in active and passive devices since there is a global need for integration. Moreover, decisions on the former will have consequences on the latter.
In addition, passive device manufacturers are beginning to understand the overall consequences of semiconductor improvement on their business .

The challenges are related yet very different. Therefore, this report is structured in two Volumes as follows:

NEW MATERIALS FOR ACTIVE COMPONENTS ARE ENVISIONED AND WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPACT PACKAGING & COOLING SYSTEMS

SiC will be part of the game, but not for today. It will bring high efficiency at even higher cost! We expect to reach XXM$ market, a drop in the bucket but a huge potential (XX% CAGR 15-20). GaN will struggle at lower power, being the high-end part of micro and mild hybrid. The technology will face advanced Silicon devices such as super junction MOSFETs. However, the future of compound semiconductor in power electronics depends on new developments, and a sudden breakthrough can easily make any existing roadmap obsolete.

Another point of interest observed in all power electronics domains concerns packaging and module assembly. It is even more important for EV/HEV. Indeed, EV/HEV makers will gain market shares thanks to proprietary innovations, and IP, applicable to a full range of cars.

Toyota started field testing flip-chip modules with double sided cooling in 2008 but in 2010 they went back to classical assembly (DBC one side cooling) and small touch of improvements (Al ribbon bonding and direct cooling). All other players are working hard: Delphi with its Viper module and Mitsubishi developing IPMs.

There will be amazing things done in power module packaging for EV/HEV in the next 10 years, it is only a beginning. We expect efforts to develop and release technologies that will quickly and readily transfer to and between other energy conversion markets (PV, Wind, etc..).


WHO SHOULD BUY THIS REPORT?

COMPANY CITED IN THE REPORT

ABB, AEG, Amphenol, Audi, AVX, Batscap, Beigi Foton Motor, BMW, Bosch, BYD, Changan Automobile, Chery Automobile, Chrysler, Citroen, Coda, Continental, Cornell Dubilier, CREE, Danfoss, Delphi, Denso, Dongfeng Motors, Eaco, Eldre, Electronic Concepts, Epcos, Faw, FCI, Ford, Fuji Electric, Geely International, GM, Great Wall Motors, Honda, Huanghai Automobile, Hyundai, Idealec, Infineon, International Rectifier, JCI Saft, Kemet, LG Chemical, Magna, Magnetti, Maxwell, Mercedes, Methode, Mitsubishi Electric, NEC, Nichicon, Nissan, Panasonic, Peugeot, Powdec, Renault, Rogers, Rubycon, SAIC, Samwha, Sanyo Electric, Seika Electronic Co. Ltd, Semikron, Semisouth, Shizuki, Taiyo Yuden, TE Connectivity, Tianjin Qingyuan Electric Vehicle, Toshiba, Toyota, Transphorm, Tyco Electronics, Valeo, VolksWagen, Volvo, Wanxiang Electric Vehicle, Wima, Yazaki, Zotye Automobile

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