Rohm Introduces SiC Technology to Formula E
Rohm Semiconductor has presented its SiC technology at the first race of the new 2016/2017 Formula E season in Hong Kong as part of its official sponsorship of the Venturi Formula E team.
The challenge of Formula E is to find the most efficient way of using the energy provided by the battery and applying it on the road. To do this, Rohm developed new power device technology using SiC, which it hopes will give Venturi an edge over the competition while also pushing forward the development of new technical solutions to increase power conversion efficiency.
The inverter for season three features embedded SiC Schottky diodes, making it 2kg lighter than the inverter for season two. Electric efficiency has been increased by 1.7 percent, while the volume of heat extraction components has been reduced by 30 percent.
In season four, the SiC MOSFET integrated inverter will demonstrate drastic changes once again, according to the company.
"For us at Venturi, particularly for me as a driver, the technical partnership we have with Rohm is very important. The SiC technology that Rohm has introduced and which we will be using in our cars from the start of this season allows us to successfully manage the heat being produced, therefore enabling greater engine power and ultimately better lap times," said Maro Engel, Formula E driver on the Venturi Formula E team
"We are very proud to be co-developing our powertrain with Rohm's SiC technology, which can be used to create a great solution for our inverters. Formula E is all about power management, and the partnership with Rohm - the leader in power semiconductors - improves the overall electronics of our car so we can reach higher performance with our electric motors," commented Franck Baldet, CTO of the Venturi Formula E team
"We are very excited to see our technology contribute to Formula E racing cars. We are looking forward to proving the quality and efficiency of our products on the circuit. In the coming years, we should see SiC devices increasingly find their way into power electronics for hybrid and all-electric vehicles, creating simpler and more efficient power systems. By making more economical technologies available for a wide array of industries and larger parts of society, we hope to take a prominent role in revolutionising energy policy," added Kazuhide Ino, General Manager of the Power Device Division at Rohm.
