ZF Collaborates with Cree Inc.
ZF
and Cree, Inc., an American supplier of silicon-carbide
semiconductors, entered into a strategic tie-up to develop cutting-edge
electric drivelines utilizing silicon-carbide-based inverters. With this kind
of cooperation, both parties are strengthening their existing business ties.
Representatives of
both companies shake hands after signing a partnership agreement
ZF claims that usage of Cree’s silicon carbide technologies will help ZF to further improve quality and reliability of company’s products. The further application of power semiconductors will increase the range for EVs when compared to existing conventional silicon technologies. Owing to high battery costs, the efficient e-drive is considered to be an extremely promising solution for the near future. For instance, silicon carbide technology paired with the 800-volt vehicle electrical system voltage leads to further efficiency growth.
At first, ZF plans to use Cree’s solution for completing orders that ZF has already received for e-drives from several major automakers. Thanks to this cooperation, ZF expects that the new technology will hit the market by 2022. To remain competitive in the approaching era of electrification, in 2016 ZF established a special E-Mobility division, specializing in creation of advanced driveline solutions for EVs. Currently, thousands of dedicated professionals work in this division at different facilities located all over the world.
Cree plans to take the lead in the process of global shifting from silicon to silicon carbide and recently informed about silicon carbide capacity expansion with factory in Durham, NC and the world's No. 1 silicon carbide device production facility in New York. The company offers a wide range of solutions via its Wolfspeed operational unit.
