Finding
Silicon carbide has become the default switch for 800 V traction inverters, and China now builds both the inverters and a growing share of the chips inside them
Tesla put STMicroelectronics SiC MOSFETs into the Model 3 inverter in 2017; by the mid-2020s nearly every 800 V platform - Hyundai E-GMP, Porsche, Lucid, Xiaomi, Zeekr, Li Auto - used SiC. BYD's Super e-Platform (2025) runs at 1,000 V on in-house 1,500 V SiC chips.
Silicon IGBTs remain the cost choice for 400 V mass-market cars, especially LFP models in China, where StarPower, BYD Semiconductor and CRRC Times Electric supply most domestic IGBT modules. SiC wins where switching losses matter most: higher bus voltage, highway efficiency and fast charging. Tesla said in 2023 that its next drive unit would use 75% less SiC through design changes, a signal that cost pressure works on the amount of SiC per car, not on the choice to use it.
The box itself is increasingly integrated. BYD (FinDreams), Huawei DriveONE, Leapmotor and Tesla build the inverter into a single e-axle housing with motor and reducer, and Chinese "X-in-1" units fold in the onboard charger, DC-DC converter and power distribution. Western Tier 1s - Bosch, ZF, BorgWarner, Schaeffler (Vitesco), Valeo - and Japan's Denso and Hitachi Astemo compete for programs at legacy OEMs. GaN has not reached traction inverters in volume; its 650 V class rating fits 400 V buses only.
Technology
Switch technologies compared
Ranked by current traction-inverter adoption.
| Technology | Strengths | Constraints | Where used |
|---|---|---|---|
| SiC MOSFET | Low switching loss, high temperature, compact cooling; supports 800-1,000 V | Higher die cost; substrate supply concentrated in four companies | 800 V platforms, performance and premium EVs, most new Chinese premium models |
| Si IGBT | Lowest cost, deep supply base, proven reliability | Higher losses at high frequency and partial load; weaker at 800 V | 400 V mass-market EVs, LFP city cars, commercial vehicles |
| GaN HEMT | Fastest switching, smallest passives | 650 V class rating; little traction field history | Prototypes and two-wheelers; OBC and DC-DC first |
Vendors
Who builds traction inverters
| Type | Companies | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| OEM in-house | Tesla, BYD (FinDreams), Leapmotor, Hyundai, Toyota | Design control over SiC content, software and integration |
| Western Tier 1 | Bosch, ZF, BorgWarner, Schaeffler (Vitesco), Valeo, Marelli | Supply most European and US legacy programs |
| Japanese Tier 1 | Denso, Hitachi Astemo, Mitsubishi Electric, Aisin | Toyota, Honda, Nissan and export programs |
| Chinese Tier 1 | Inovance, UAES, Huawei DriveONE, VMAX | Volume leaders in the world's largest EV market |
Directory
Traction inverter makers
Automakers that build their own inverters, then the Tier 1 suppliers. Active companies first, then merged, acquired, exited and bankrupt ones; each company appears once per product line.
| Company | Products | HQ | Plants | Technology | Customers | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BYD (FinDreams Powertrain) | Inverters inside the 8-in-1 e-drive; Super e-Platform | China | China | In-house SiC (BYD Semiconductor), up to 1,500 V devices on the 1,000 V Super e-Platform | BYD, Denza, Yangwang, Fangchengbao | active |
| Leapmotor | In-house e-drive and motor controller | China | China | SiC and IGBT | Leapmotor; Leapmotor International (Stellantis) | active |
| Lucid | In-house drive unit and inverter | US | US | SiC, 900 V class architecture | Lucid Air, Lucid Gravity; Aston Martin (powertrain supply agreement) | active |
| NIO (XPT) | SiC e-drive units built by NIO subsidiary XPT in Nanjing | China | China | SiC, 900 V on NIO NT3 models | NIO, Onvo, Firefly | active |
| Rivian | In-house Enduro drive unit with inverter | US | US | SiC | Rivian R1, R2, Commercial Van | active |
| Tesla | Drive-unit inverters for Model 3, Model Y, Cybertruck, Semi | US | US, China, Germany | SiC MOSFET (STMicroelectronics, onsemi); 400 V and 800 V (Cybertruck) | Tesla | active: First volume SiC traction inverter, Model 3 (2017) |
| Company | Products | HQ | Plants | Technology | Customers | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aisin | eAxle with Denso through the BluE Nexus joint venture | Japan | Japan, China | IGBT and SiC | Toyota | active |
| BorgWarner | 800 V inverters with Viper power switch; ex-Delphi Technologies | US | US, Poland, China, South Korea | SiC and IGBT | Not disclosed | active |
| Bosch | 800 V SiC inverters and eAxle | Germany | Germany, China, Hungary | SiC MOSFETs from its own Reutlingen and Roseville (California) fabs | Not disclosed | active |
| Dana (TM4) | SUMO and CO-series inverters for commercial vehicles and buses | US | Canada, China | SiC and IGBT | Commercial vehicle and bus makers | active |
| Denso | SiC inverter in the BluE Nexus eAxle | Japan | Japan | SiC (first used in the Lexus RZ, 2023) and IGBT | Toyota, Lexus | active |
| Hitachi Astemo | Inverters and e-axles | Japan | Japan, US, China | IGBT and SiC | Honda, Nissan | active |
| Huawei Digital Power (DriveONE) | Multi-in-one e-drives with integrated inverter | China | China | SiC, 800 V | Seres (AITO), Chery (Luxeed), BAIC (Stelato) | active |
| Hyundai Mobis | Power electric (PE) system: motor, inverter and reducer for E-GMP | South Korea | South Korea, US, China | SiC on 800 V E-GMP models | Hyundai, Kia, Genesis | active |
| Inovance Automotive | Motor controllers and 3-in-1 e-drives | China | China | IGBT and SiC | Li Auto, GAC, Chery, Geely | active |
| LG Magna e-Powertrain | Inverters, motors and onboard chargers | South Korea | South Korea, China, Mexico | IGBT and SiC | GM | active: LG Electronics and Magna joint venture |
| UAES | Inverters and e-axles; Bosch-SAIC joint venture | China | China | IGBT and SiC | SAIC and other Chinese automakers | active |
| Valeo | 800 V inverters and e-drives; ex-Valeo Siemens eAutomotive | France | France, Germany, China, Hungary | SiC | Not disclosed | active |
| ZF | 800 V SiC inverters and EVSys e-drives | Germany | Germany, China, Serbia | SiC (Wolfspeed supply partnership) | Not disclosed | active |
| Schaeffler (Vitesco) | EMR e-axles and inverters; Vitesco merged into Schaeffler in 2024 | Germany | Germany, China, Hungary | SiC (Rohm supply agreement) and IGBT | Not disclosed | merged: Vitesco Technologies merged into Schaeffler, October 2024 |
Sources
Sources and scope
- Scope
- EV Traction Inverters
- Sources
- Tesla (Investor Day 2023); BYD (Super e-Platform, 2025); supplier disclosures; ElectronsX database
- Updated
- October 2026