Expansion of Electric Vehicle Adoption... 6-inch SiC Wafer Market Expected to Grow 14-Fold Over 4 Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] With the expansion of electric vehicle adoption, the demand for silicon carbide (SiC) wafers, an essential component of power semiconductors, is increasing, and the 6-inch SiC wafer market size is expected to grow 14 times in four years.

According to Taiwanese market research firm TrendForce on the 4th, the global demand for 6-inch SiC wafers in the electric vehicle market is expected to expand from 120,000 units this year to 1.69 million units by 2025. The demand, which was around 60,000 units last year, is expected to double this year, then surge to 230,000 units next year, 590,000 units in 2023, and 920,000 units in 2024, growing rapidly in line with the accelerating expansion of electric vehicle adoption.

SiC wafers are wafers made of silicon carbide, which is carbon heated to a high temperature, and are more stable under high temperature and high pressure than silicon semiconductors. Accordingly, they have high energy efficiency, low resistance, and hardness, making them mainly used in power semiconductors for electric vehicles. Recently, 6-inch SiC wafers are primarily used in power semiconductors, and although there is a movement to switch to 8-inch wafers, TrendForce predicts that 6-inch wafers will remain mainstream for at least five more years.

TrendForce expects that as major automakers introduce 800-volt (V) high-voltage electric vehicle charging systems one after another, the 'silicon (Si) insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)' modules, which control current through gate voltage, will be completely replaced by power devices using SiC wafers. In fact, major automotive parts suppliers prefer SiC components, and related products are being released.

TrendForce stated, "Competition among automakers for high-voltage electric vehicle platforms is intensifying in response to the electric vehicle market’s demands for extended driving range and reduced charging time," and predicted that the market growth trend will continue in the future.