Mitsubishi Electric Corporation has announced the upcoming release of six new J3-Series power semiconductor modules for various electric vehicles (xEVs). These modules will feature either a silicon carbide metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (SiC-MOSFET) or an RC-IGBT (Si), offering compact designs and scalability for use in EV and PHEV inverters. Sample shipments of all six J3-Series products will be available from March 25.
The new power modules will be showcased at the 38th Electronics R&D, Manufacturing, and Packaging Technology Expo (NEPCON JAPAN 2024) from January 24 to 26 at Tokyo Big Sight, Japan, as well as other exhibitions in North America, Europe, China, and other locations.
As the demand for power semiconductors capable of efficiently converting electricity continues to grow in response to decarbonization initiatives, the need for SiC power semiconductors offering reduced power loss has increased. In the xEV sector, power semiconductor modules are widely used in power conversion devices such as xEV drive motor inverters.
To further downsize batteries and inverters and extend the cruising range of xEVs, compact, high-power, and high-efficiency modules are required. However, power semiconductors used in drive motors for xEVs must meet even higher safety standards than those used in general industrial applications.
The development of these SiC products received partial support from Japan's New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization (NEDO).