800V EVs Predicted to Drive Power Electronics to 15% CAGR Rise

Moving to an 800V architecture makes a lot of sense for electric vehicles. One of the major drawbacks to EV adoption is the charging time, which is normally measured in hours. Increasing the voltage of the architecture means that time can be reduced considerably, often to around the time needed to go buy and drink a coffee. Another benefit that 800V charging brings is that there is less current drawn, meaning that the thickness of wiring can be reduced, which also lowers the weight of the vehicle, increasing its range. Finally, 800V technology offers a higher level of efficiency.

Other initiatives to reduce charge time, such as better battery chemistries, are currently in development, but it will take years before they are ready to be used. In the near term, 800V is our best bet for faster charging. Of course, there are also drawbacks – if there is a lack of charging infrastructure at the moment for the EVs we have now, the infrastructure is even worse for optimal 800V charging. However, things may have started to turn a corner, and it could mean a real boost for the power electronics industry.

The move to 800V will be the main driver for a large leap in demand for wide bandgap semiconductors according to a new report from IDTechEx. The report predicts a 15% CAGR increase globally over the next decade. “Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles 2023-2033” looks into EV power electronics on topics including evolving semiconductor and package materials, such as Si, SiC and GaN semiconductors, die-attach materials, wire bonding and thermal management. The report also includes analysis on demand for inverters, onboard chargers and DC-DC converters - segmented by voltage and semiconductor type.

According to the new report, two drivers to move from 350-400V to 800V and beyond are higher power levels of DC fast charging (DCFC) and drive cycle efficiency gains. DCFC compatibility currently is a weak driver due to low availability versus AC chargers and the high costs associated with 800V infrastructure. An earlier IDTechEx report “Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles and Fleets 2022-2032” estimated around 3 million AC charging installations took place in 2022, compared to ~50,000 DCFCs over 100kW.

The report also details how the first tranche of 800V electric vehicles are doing, and it is a bit of a mixed bag. The Lucid Air 900V production car only sold around 7000 units in 2022 and the Porsche Taycan’s sales also declined in the same year. However, sales of Hyundai’s 800V E-GMP platform models more than doubled in South Korea to around 70,000 units/year, driven by the popularity of the IONIQ 5 and Kia EV6, taking the 800V car market into mainstream car segments for the first time.

www.IDTechEx.com/PowerElec