Munich, Germany, and Seoul, Korea – 18 January 2019 – Semiconductors are a key enabler for electro-mobility: Hyundai Kia Motors Company named Infineon Technologies AG “Partner of the Year 2018” for providing power modules used in hybrid and electric cars. Infineon is the first chipmaker to receive the award since it was established in 2002. Seung Soo Scott Lee, Managing Director of Infineon Technologies Korea, accepted it during a ceremony on the Korean Jeju Island. In total, the world’s fifth largest car manufacturer honored 23 companies in 14 different categories, Infineon being one of only two partners in the category “Overseas Supplier”.
The award selection committee stated that “Infineon had shown excellent performance in developing and quickly ramping a new power module. Our cooperation in creating the Double Sided Cooling products with their increased electrical performance will support Hyundai’s further growth in electro-mobility. We are expecting a good long-term partnership also in the future.”
In electrified cars, Infineon’s power modules of the HybridPACK™ family serve as the energy bridge between the battery system and the electric drive. They convert the battery’s direct current (DC) into alternating current (AC) to drive the electric motor, and the AC generated during braking back to DC to charge the battery. The efficiency of this process, i.e. how much energy is lost along the way, directly impacts the range of an electric car, the necessary battery size and thus the costs.
“With electro-mobility on the rise, the global demand for automotive power semiconductors will continue to increase rapidly,” said Peter Schiefer, President of the Automotive Division at Infineon. For example, according to research by Strategy Analytics the drivetrain of a full hybrid or plug-in hybrid electric vehicle requires power semiconductors worth about 19 times as much as in a conventional car. “Based on our leading module and chip manufacturing capabilities on 300-millimeter wafers, we work closely with our customers to enable sufficient supply of power semiconductors for the upcoming electro-mobility growth. The award clearly shows how much our customers appreciate our operational excellence and our passion for innovation,” said Schiefer.
Infineon is the world’s largest supplier of power semiconductors. The company is currently extending its respective production capacities at its sites in Dresden, Germany, and Kulim, Malaysia. Furthermore, in November 2018 Infineon broke ground on a new 300-millimeter production facility at its site in Villach, Austria, which is expected to be ready for production in 2021.