Global semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia drives forward innovative electric vehicle technology with Ricardo

Nexperia’s GaN products to feature in technology demonstrator by leading automotive consulting company

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Nexperia, the expert in discretes, MOSFET and GaN FET components and analog & logic ICs, has announced a partnership with renowned automotive engineering consulting company, Ricardo, to produce a technology demonstrator for electric vehicles based on their gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

GaN is the preferred switch for automotive inverter applications, providing greater efficiencies and improved performance at lower costs. In automotive terms this means the vehicle has a greater range (battery life) – the major concern for anyone looking to buy an electric vehicle.

GaN is now on the brink of replacing existing silicon-based technology for the traction inverters used in plug-in hybrids or full battery electric cars.

Ricardo is very well regarded in the automotive industry, the Global engineering innovation company designs and consults on concepts, and boast collaborations with high-profile leading brands such as McLaren and Bugatti. Ricardo was the perfect partner for Nexperia for this project.

Michael LeGoff, General Manager GaN, Nexperia said:

"By designing our GaN devices into an inverter and trialling them through Ricardo, we will be able to better understand how a vehicle can be driven safely and reliably. We are developing a real solution that I think a lot of automotive designers will be interested in having a look at and will find extremely advantageous.”

The global manufacturer, based at the Stockport Pepper Road site since the early 70’s, has a long legacy of specialised manufacturing, previously under the ownership of Mullards, Philips, and more recently NXP, and produces components used in the automotive industry, portable devices such as smart phones, industrial and consumer electronics, and communications infrastructure.
 

Adrian Greaney, Director Technology & Products, Ricardo comments:

"Semiconductor technology is key to the efficiency of the inverter system and the role that it plays in the performance and efficiency of an electrified vehicle. There are many associated benefits when we look at the design from a system level, and Ricardo is therefore pleased to be collaborating with Nexperia on GaN devices.”