BorgWarner announces new inverter technology

BorgWarner is expanding its 400V inverter business with a major global OEM by now supplying 800V silicon carbide-based (SiC) inverters. The high-voltage inverters are destined for BEV platforms.

BorgWarner announces that two variants of the new inverters will be used in passenger BEVs: one 250kW for passenger cars and all-wheel drive crossover utility vehicles and a second 350kW module for the OEM’s performance vehicles. Production of the new inverters is slated to start in 2025, with a peak production volume of around 400,000 units.

“As a current 400-volt inverter supplier to the automaker, it was a significant win for our team to be brought on for the 800-volt program as well,” said Dr Stefan Demmerle, President and General Manager, BorgWarner PowerDrive Systems. “This expanded business solidifies BorgWarner’s position as a strategic inverter supplier for this longstanding customer as they transition to the next phase of their BEV strategy.”

In other news, US automotive supplier BorgWarner shared some major financial news: the company believes it is on track to achieve approximately $4.3 billion of EV revenue by 2025, when the new inverters enter production. The company also expects its 2023 EV revenue to grow from $1.5 billion to $1.8 billion, which is up significantly from $870 million earned from electric vehicle components in 2022. This would mean a YoY increase in sales from 7% to 12%.

As BorgWarner finished 2022 with a series of investments, including acquiring the Swiss engineering firm DriveTek, as well as investing in the semiconductor manufacturer Wolfspeed, the return on investment is expected to start ramping up soon.

Finally, BorgWarner has also announced that it won a new contract to supply a major German vehicle manufacturer in Europe and the US with battery cooling plates destined for the carmaker’s next generation of electric vehicles. While the customer remains unnamed, the company admits to having worked together in the past, as Joe Fadool, President and General Manager, BorgWarner Emissions, Thermal and Turbo Systems explains: “We’ve collaborated with this customer for more than 30 years as a technical partner, contributing to many new technologies that the customer has integrated into its vehicles.”

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