EV and peripheral applications see significant boost

With third-generation semiconductors primarily using emerging materials such as GaN and SiC, industry experts have pointed out that the most relevant field for SiC will be electric vehicles, while GaN will focus on fast charging capabilities in smart mobile devices.

While Taiwanese-based companies are actively investing in third-generation semiconductors, industry watchers also pointed out that the current situation in the market indicated how companies overseas still held a leading role in the industry. This is most apparent in applications for EV, where Taiwan-made products are still not yet competitive enough to enter supply chains.

According to market research institution Yole Développement's statistics, while SiC parts were impacted in the COVID-19 outbreak, reporting delayed delivery and production, however, the demand for SiC has maintained an approximate 30% CAGR. The entire market scale has the potential to reach beyond USD$2.5 billion by 2025, becoming the primary material applied in the automotive sector.

Aside from EVs, Yole also mentioned another critical field for SiC application, namely charging infrastructure. SiC could become the material to propel the development of high-powered charging stations.

ITRI ​​Industrial Economics and Knowledge Center, commenting on Yole's findings, said comparing SiC Power Modules and Si-related products, SiC offered an advantage in lower volume and weight, and more efficient lower-power design, which helps improve the driving range of an EV. Future trends will move towards simpler designs for peripheral cooling systems, which helps reduce the number of passive parts used and overall production costs.