EV Power Control Units

inverter · DC-DC · OBC · SiC

The PCU is where battery energy becomes torque and 12-volt power. Its power modules decide drivetrain efficiency more than any other part.

What a power control unit routes. The battery at 400 to 800 V DC feeds a SiC or IGBT inverter that drives the traction motor with variable AC, and an isolated step-down DC-DC converter that feeds the 12 V or 48 V bus. An AC inlet for Level 2 charging feeds an onboard charger with power factor correction and DC-DC stages that charges the battery. All three converters can share one PCU housing with shared liquid cooling. WHAT A POWER CONTROL UNIT ROUTES PCU housing, shared liquid cooling Battery 400-800 V DC AC inlet Level 2 Inverter SiC or IGBT Traction motor AC, variable DC-DC isolated, step-down 12 V / 48 V bus LV loads Onboard charger PFC + DC-DC To battery charging
Core function
Inverter
Device trend
SiC MOSFETs
Voltage trend
800 V
Companies tracked
12, 6 Chinese
Hub
Supply Chain

Finding

SiC inverters and integration of the DC-DC and charger into one housing are now standard on new 800-volt platforms

A power control unit (PCU) combines the traction inverter with the DC-DC converter and, in many designs, the onboard charger in one liquid-cooled housing. Toyota and Denso coined the term for the Prius; today it covers the integrated power electronics of most EVs. Silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs have replaced silicon IGBTs in most premium and 800-volt inverters because they cut switching losses and add range.

Integration saves mass, cable and cooling hardware, but it concentrates risk: one failed unit can take out propulsion and charging together. The parts that matter most are the power modules, the DC-link film capacitor and the gate drivers. SiC device supply has moved from shortage to surplus since 2024 as Chinese wafer makers SICC and TanKeBlue expanded and prices fell; Wolfspeed went through Chapter 11 in 2025.

PCU builders split into captive and independent camps. Tesla, BYD (FinDreams), Hyundai and Toyota (through Denso) design their own. Independents include Denso, Hitachi Astemo, Mitsubishi Electric Mobility, Bosch, BorgWarner, Schaeffler (Vitesco), Valeo and ZF, and in China Huawei, Inovance and UAES.

Functions

Five Functions in One Box

Not every PCU includes all five; the inverter is always there.

PCU functions
FunctionWhat it doesDevices
Traction inverterDC to variable-frequency AC for the motor; regenerative braking back to the batterySiC MOSFET or Si IGBT modules
DC-DC converterSteps 400-800 V down to 12 V or 48 V for low-voltage loadsSi or GaN MOSFETs, planar transformer
Onboard charger (optional)AC from the grid to DC for the batterySiC or GaN
Boost converter (some designs)Raises battery voltage for the motor; Toyota hybrids and some 800 V-capable 400 V packsIGBT or SiC
Protection and controlIsolation, overcurrent and thermal protection; torque controlMCU, gate drivers, current sensors

Vendors

PCU vendors

Integrated units that combine the inverter with DC-DC, charging or drive-unit functions. Active companies first, then merged, acquired, exited and bankrupt ones; each company appears once per product line.

Power control units: automaker in-house
CompanyProductsHQPlantsTechnologyCustomersStatus
BYD (FinDreams Powertrain)8-in-1 e-drive: motor, reducer, inverter, VCU, BMS, DC-DC, OBC and PDUChinaChinaIn-house SiCBYD, Denza, Yangwang, Fangchengbaoactive
LeapmotorIntegrated e-drive and power electronicsChinaChinaSiCLeapmotor; Leapmotor International (Stellantis)active
TeslaDrive-unit inverter plus power conversion systemUSUS, China, GermanySiCTeslaactive
ToyotaPCU for hybrids and BEVs, built in-house at the Hirose plantJapanJapanIGBT and SiCToyota, Lexusactive
Power control units: suppliers
CompanyProductsHQPlantsTechnologyCustomersStatus
AisinBluE Nexus eAxle with DensoJapanJapan, ChinaIGBT and SiCToyotaactive
DensoPCUs for hybrids and BEVsJapanJapan, USIGBT and SiCToyota, Lexusactive
Huawei Digital Power (DriveONE)Multi-in-one drive with integrated power electronicsChinaChinaSiC, 800 VSeres (AITO), Chery (Luxeed), BAIC (Stelato)active
Hyundai MobisPE system and ICCUSouth KoreaSouth Korea, USSiCHyundai, Kia, Genesisactive
Inovance AutomotiveX-in-1 power domain and e-drive assembliesChinaChinaIGBT and SiCLi Auto, GAC, Chery, Geelyactive
UAESIntegrated e-axles and power electronicsChinaChinaIGBT and SiCSAIC and other Chinese automakersactive
VMAX3-in-1 power domain: OBC, DC-DC and PDUChinaChinaSiCLi Auto, Leapmotor, Chery, Geelyactive
Schaeffler (Vitesco)4-in-1 e-axle with inverter, DC-DC and OBCGermanyGermany, ChinaSiCNot disclosedmerged: Vitesco Technologies merged into Schaeffler, October 2024

Sources

Sources and scope

Scope
EV Power Control Units
Sources
Supplier and automaker disclosures; Wolfspeed (2025); ElectronsX electrical dataset
Updated
October 2026