Jaguar Land Rover and Wolfspeed have announced a strategic partnership to supply the next generation of electric vehicles with silicon carbide semiconductors, which will improve engine efficiency and extended range.
As part of the company’s Reimagine strategy, Jaguar Land Rover is looking to transform its business towards electrification and achieve net zero emissions across its supply chain, production, services, and operations by 2039.
Wolfspeed’s latest technology, made of silicon carbide specifically in the motor’s commutator, will be used to manage the transfer of power from the battery to the electric motors.
The first Range Rover vehicles with this advanced technology will be available in 2024, and the following year the new, all-electric Jaguar brand will be available on the market.
The partnership will build on the relationship between Wolfspeed and the Jaguar TCS Racing Team, which competes in the ABB Formula E Championship, where advanced silicon carbide technology is used to accelerate efficiency and effectiveness on the track and in performance.
The agreement is the latest in Jaguar Land Rover’s plans to build and establish strategic partnerships with industry leaders for its future vehicles that embody modern luxury: in February 2022, Jaguar Land Rover announced its partnership with NVIDIA is centered around software-defined solutions and advanced autonomous driving systems for next-generation vehicles starting in 2025.
Thierry Bollore, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said: “With the Jaguar TCS Racing Team, we have had an outstanding collaboration over the past five seasons. Developing this collaboration into a strategic partnership, as part of our Reimagine strategy, will enable us to integrate Wolfspeed’s advanced silicon carbide technology into the next generation of our electric vehicles, bringing a broad range and performance capabilities to our customers.”
Greg Lowe, Chief Executive Officer of Wolfsspeed, said: “Wolvesspeed is proud to partner with Jaguar Land Rover, which will support its brave and strong commitment to electrifying its iconic brand by utilizing the performance, efficiency, and scope of silicon carbide technology. The advantages of silicon carbide, particularly its energy efficiency, will play a key role in Jaguar Land Rover’s aspiration to achieve zero carbon emissions, and in light of the global transition towards an all-electric future.”
The partnership agreement will see Jaguar Land Rover participate in Wolfsspeed’s Assurance of Supply Program to secure the supply of this technology for future electric vehicle production needs. This will enable greater clarity and control over Jaguar Land Rover’s future supply chain.
It is also a key factor in the new value chain approach, adopted in the company’s operations and supply chain under the leadership of Barbara Bergmer, Executive Director of Industrial Operations.
Wolfspeed’s world-leading technology powers electric propulsion systems across the entire electrical chain from 400 to 800 volts. The silicon carbide solutions to power the devices will be produced at the Wolfspeed Corporation’s Mohawk Fab Valley plant in Marcy, New York, which opened in April 2022 and is the world’s largest 200mm silicon carbide manufacturing facility.
The fully automated facility will dramatically increase the capacity of silicon carbide technologies to meet the growing demand for electric vehicles and other high-tech sectors around the world.
