Market Trends of United States Discrete Semiconductors Industry
Automotive Sector to Witness a Significant Growth
- The shift toward electrification in the automotive sector drives the need for advanced semiconductor components. With the United States emerging as a critical player in the EV (electric vehicle) market, the nation has witnessed a significant surge in EV sales in recent years. In 2023, Cox Automotive reported that approximately 1.19 million BEVs (battery electric vehicles) were sold in the United States, with Tesla models representing 55.1% of total sales. Ford, the second-ranked automaker, only accounted for 6.1% of US battery electric vehicle sales.
- The rising expansion of automotive plants in the country is expected to drive the market’s growth. For instance, in January 2024, Lucid Motors revealed plans to enlarge its Casa Grande, Arizona, assembly plant by approximately 3 million square feet. This expansion encompasses adding a new manufacturing facility, warehouse, and vertically integrated stamping facility. As a result, the expanded plant will encompass a total area exceeding 3.85 million square feet. This crucial expansion will enable the company to manufacture its highly anticipated Gravity SUV, set to be launched in late 2024.
- The automotive sector's escalating power needs necessitate higher current draws from conventional automotive supplies. Consequently, there is a surging demand for proficient and effective automotive MOSFETs. Moreover, with the tightening regulations in the United States to curb CO2 emissions, the landscape for automotive MOSFETs is notably optimistic.
- The rising need for advanced vehicle control and combustion technology is a crucial driver behind the demand surge for Automotive MOSFETs (metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors). These components are pivotal in contemporary automotive electronics, especially powertrain control and other vehicle systems. The surging demand for electric (EV) and hybrid vehicles (HEV) in the United States is fueling growth in the discrete semiconductors in the automotive market, opening avenues for innovation and business expansion.
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Power Transistors to Hold Significant Market Share
- Technological advancements in power transistors, such as MOSFET design and manufacturing, are being propelled by the rising demand for high-performance MOSFETs. These sought-after features include low on-resistance, high-speed switching, and improved thermal management.
- For instance, in March 2024, Infineon introduced the first product in its new advanced MOSFET technology, OptiMOS 7 80 V. The OptiMOS 7 80 V offering perfectly matches the upcoming 48 V board net applications. It is designed specifically for the high performance, high quality, and robustness needed for demanding automotive applications like automotive DC-DC converters in EVs, 48 V motor control, for instance, electric power steering (EPS), 48 V battery switches, and electric two- and three-wheelers.
- In December 2023, Infineon Technologies AG responded to the call for downsizing and integration by introducing the 4.5 kV XHP 3 IGBT modules. These modules are set to transform medium-voltage drives (MVD) and transportation applications, specifically, those operating at 2000 V—3300 V AC in 2, and 3-level topologies.
- In the United States, the increasing demand for consumer electronic appliances like UPSs, power conditioners, air conditioners, etc., which use discrete IGBT types for lower-current applications, is credited with driving the growth of the discrete IGBT market. Discrete IGBTs have been found to have the lowest power losses in consumer goods, which is anticipated to be a key factor influencing the segment's growth in the market.
