Based on data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers and EVvolutes.com, the new energy vehicle industry has shown strong growth momentum. In 2021, 2022, and 2023, the sales of new energy vehicles in China reached 3.5 million, 6.89 million, and 9.5 million respectively, with a market share of 31.6%. It is expected that by 2024, sales will further climb to 12-13 million vehicles, with a market share of over 45%, accounting for approximately 60% of global production and sales.
The booming development of the new energy vehicle industry has also driven the rise of silicon carbide (SiC) materials, making them the mainstream of the industry. At the 12th China Hard Technology Industry Chain Innovation Trend Summit and Hundred Media Forum of E-dimensional Think Tank, Zhan Xubiao, the market manager of Qingchun Semiconductor, a leading player in the domestic SiC industry, delivered a speech titled "The Latest Development Trends of SiC Technology for Vehicle Electric Drive&Power Supply", which deeply analyzed the current situation of the SiC industry and the opportunities faced by Chinese chip manufacturers.
The rapid and steady development of the new energy vehicle industry cannot be separated from the comprehensive application of SiC in main drive, high-voltage fast charging, and charging piles. With the continuous advancement of SiC technology, especially in the domestic passenger car market, its application is becoming increasingly widespread. In 2023, there will be as many as 142 SiC models announced domestically, of which 76 will be passenger cars. As one of the core technologies of new energy vehicles, 750V and 1200V SiC MOSFET devices have become mainstream, and their performance, quality, price, and production capacity have become key factors driving the large-scale application of SiC.
SiC technology not only shows an increasing trend in quantity, but also brings significant performance improvements to new energy vehicles. Especially in terms of battery life, SiC MOSFET exhibits higher efficiency compared to traditional Si IGBT+Si FRD technology. With its low on resistance and low switching loss characteristics, SiC MOSFET can effectively reduce losses by 70%, thereby increasing the driving range by about 5%. This improvement is crucial for the user experience and market acceptance of electric vehicles, as it can better meet consumers' demand for range capability.