Wolfspeed, the global leader in Silicon Carbide technology, and ZF, a global technology company have inked a strategic partnership that includes the creation of a joint innovation lab to drive advances in Silicon Carbide systems and devices for mobility, industrial and energy applications.
The partnership also includes a significant investment by ZF to support the planned construction of the world’s most advanced and largest 200mm Silicon Carbide device fab in Ensdorf, Germany.
Dr. Holger Klein, CEO, ZF said, “These initiatives are a significant step towards a successful industrial transformation. They strengthen European supply resilience and, at the same time, support the European Green Deal and the strategic goals for Europe’s Digital Decade.”
The joint research facility will come up in Germany that will focus on real-world e-mobility and renewable energy system-level challenges. The collaboration aims to develop breakthrough innovations for Silicon Carbide systems, products, and applications, covering the full value chain from chip to complete systems. Additional collaboration partners will be invited to participate in the innovation process, establishing an end-to-end European Silicon Carbide innovation network.
The R&D centre will focus on innovation for Silicon Carbide systems and devices to meet specific requirements in all mobility segments including consumer, commercial, agricultural, and industrial vehicles as well as in the industrial and renewable energy markets. The collaboration will drive improvements such as higher efficiency, increased power density and higher performances for electrification solutions.
Wolfspeed plans to construct a fully automated, highly advanced 200mm wafer fabrication facility in Saarland, Germany. ZF intends to support this new construction by making a sizable financial investment in the hundreds of millions of dollars in exchange for Wolfspeed common stock. As a part of this investment, ZF will have a minority ownership position in the fab. Wolfspeed will maintain all operational and management control rights in the new fab. The partners had previously announced a strategic partnership in 2019 to create industry-leading, highly efficient electric drivelines with a Silicon Carbide inverter, and these new initiatives represent the next generation of innovation for the partners.
Gregg Lowe, President & CEO, Wolfspeed said, “We have a strong partner by our side in ZF, which brings industry-leading experience in scaling components for electric mobility as well as the aptitude to accelerate innovation in Silicon Carbide systems and power devices. I am confident this partnership will lift Silicon Carbide semiconductor technology to a new level of global impact, supporting increased sustainability and efficiency efforts across a multitude of industries.”
Stephan Von Schuckmann, Member of the ZF Board of Management said, “Together, Wolfspeed and ZF combine expertise in power electronics and systems with know-how in applications that is unparalleled in the industry. Wolfspeed brings its more than 35 years in Silicon Carbide technology, and at ZF we have a unique understanding of the overall systems across all sectors from passenger cars and commercial vehicles to construction machinery, wind power and industrial applications. The close cooperation between fab and R&D centre will enable us to develop breakthrough innovations beyond state of the art for the benefit of our customers.”