Tier 1 auto supplier Bosch said it will inject three billion euros ($A4.46 billion) into its semiconductor chip division between now and 2026.
The lack of these chips in the broader supply chain has been one of the main factors slowing factory output in recent times – which has led to record wait times for new cars and low prices for new cars. Unprecedented high used cars.
This problem is amplified by the fact that electric cars use more than combustion cars, so it is also an obstacle to reducing CO2.
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While the funding through 2026 won’t help alleviate the current shortage, it will ultimately make supply chains more resilient to shocks. The broader strategic goal is to strengthen Europe’s position as a chipmaker – an area in which the country still has little left.
Under the auspices of the ‘European Chip Act’, the European Union and the federal government want to double Europe’s share of global semiconductor manufacturing from 10 to 20 percent by 2030.
Bosch’s plan includes 170 million euros for new development centers in Reutlingen and Dresden, Germany, and another 250 million euros for the construction of an additional 3000 square meters of ‘clean room’ production space in Its billion-euro Dresden factory.
The plan is to make a range of chips from 40 to 200 nanometers, suitable for different industries, not limited to automobiles.
Bosch claims the overall Dresden semiconductor plant is set to expand and to be operational from June 2021 as the largest single investment in its long history.
As of late 2021, Bosch says it has mass-produced silicon carbide chips used in the power electronics of electric and hybrid cars, which could increase the range of EVs by up to 6%. Book orders, it said, are absolutely staggering and are up 30% this year.
Bosch says it is currently examining the development of gallium nitride chips “for electrical induction” like those already used in laptop and smartphone chargers. For vehicle use, these chips must be more powerful and withstand significantly higher voltages than before, up to 1200V.
“Challenges like these are typical for Bosch engineers. Our advantage is that we have been in the field of microelectronics as well as automotive for a long time,” the company stated.
“Microelectronics is the future and a key success factor for all areas of Bosch’s business. With it, we hold the central key to tomorrow’s mobility,” said Bosch President, Dr. Stephen Hartung.
“Given the interest of our customers, we are preparing for the ever-increasing demand for chips. For us, there is big business in the smallest components. “
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