German chipmaker Infineon and Taiwanese contract manufacturer Foxconn are to enter into a long-term partnership in electric vehicles. The two companies also plan to open an application centre in Taiwan before the end of 2023.
Under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) now signed, the two companies will collaborate on implementing silicon carbide technology in high-power automotive applications, including traction inverters, onboard chargers and DC-DC converters, and jointly develop solutions for electric vehicles. These will be based on Infineon’s system understanding, technical support and SiC product offering combined with Foxconn’s electronics design and manufacturing expertise and system integration capability.
For Infineon, this is the second signed cooperation with a Taiwanese company within a few weeks. At the end of March, the German chip manufacturer expanded its existing cooperation with Delta Electronics, a provider of energy and power management systems, to include components for electric vehicles.
Foxconn, for its part, has already unveiled three electric cars based on its MIH platform in 2022 and announced more. The Taiwanese company is already producing electric vehicles in the US. In Lordstown, Ohio, Foxconn has taken over the former GM plant of Lordstown Motors, where Foxconn has started manufacturing the Lordstown Endurance. The Fisker Pear will also be produced at the plant from 2024. Foxconn is pursuing further plant plans in Saudi Arabia and Thailand, among other places.
The application centre in Taiwan that Infineon and Foxconn want to open as part of the newly established partnership will focus on optimising vehicle applications, including intelligent cabin applications, advanced driver assistance systems and applications for autonomous driving. In addition, the duo plans to develop applications in the field of electromobility there, such as battery management systems and traction inverters.
Infeon says the cooperation covers a wide range of automotive products from Infineon, including sensors, microcontrollers, power semiconductors, high-performance memories for special applications, human-machine interfaces and safety solutions. The application centre is expected to open in 2023.
“The automotive industry is evolving. With the rapid growth of the EV market and the associated need for more range and performance, the development of electromobility must continue to advance and innovate,” said Peter Schiefer, President of the Infineon Automotive Division. “Infineon’s commitment and passion for innovation and zero-defect quality has made us the best partner for our customers. We look forward to writing a new chapter in electromobility together with Foxconn.”
Jun Seki, chief strategy officer for EVs at Foxconn, expressed confidence that the cooperation will lead to optimised vehicles. “We are pleased to be working with Infineon and are confident that this collaboration will result in optimized architecture, product performance, cost competitiveness and high system integration to provide customers with the most competitive automotive solutions,” said Seki.
infineon.com, foxconn.com
Keyword: Infineon & Foxconn enter partnership on EVs