Man driving a car

Electromobility - The bridge to a greener future

Connecting sustainability goals with intelligence and safety, electric cars pave the way for a new era of mobility.

Mobility
Vehicles
Article

Jul 10, 2025

The smart engine of progress: Semiconductors drive the next era of mobility

Imagine: It's rush hour in the city, the streets are packed with commuters. Yet something is different from usual. Gone is the clamor of howling engines and screeching tires and brakes, gone are the clouds of exhaust fumes that have characterized the urban streetscape. Instead of the typical stop-and-go chaos, traffic flows with ease. The moment the lights at the intersection turn green, the cars move off smoothly, barely making a sound. Instant torque, smooth acceleration. The windows down, letting in the fresh, clean morning breeze.

The cars in this urban landscape are electric. This isn’t a vision of the distant future, but a new era of mobility in which electric vehicles will reshape how cities move and how people experience movement. Electric cars are a better alternative to conventional vehicles in many ways. They help create more livable cities and offer drivers a comfortable, enjoyable way of traveling. At the heart of this are semiconductors. Every time the electric car powers up, thousands of chips work behind the scenes to make driving more efficient, autonomous, connected, and safe.

Why cities breathe greener with electric vehicles

Transport remains one of the largest contributors to global CO₂ emissions, and road traffic is still a significant source of particulate pollution, especially in densely populated urban areas. Electric vehicles address these challenges in several ways: they don´t burn fossil fuels on the road and therefore don’t produce tailpipe emissions. At the same time, they reduce pollution from braking and acceleration. Even with today's global electricity mix, electric vehicles emit less CO₂ over their lifecycle than cars with internal combustion engines as they convert more energy into motion. By integrating electric vehicles into smart grids and charging them with renewable energy, such as solar and wind power, emissions are even reduced to nearly zero.

Electric vehicles stand out in the way they accelerate and brake. Electric cars typically have efficient drive technology that allows for smoother acceleration. This results in less mechanical stress on the tires, which in turn reduces tire wear. Furthermore, electric vehicles use regenerative braking, which converts braking energy into electrical energy and stores it instead of losing it as heat to the brakes and the environment. This technology not only reduces energy consumption but also minimizes brake wear and, indirectly, the particulate matter caused by friction and abrasion. While electric vehicles also produce particulate matter through tire wear, the reduced braking and acceleration processes can further lower these emissions compared to conventional internal combustion engines.

These are all advantages for the automotive industry, as reducing the carbon footprint is one of its biggest hurdles. Stringent CO₂ legislation is forcing car manufacturers to reduce emissions or face heavy fines. Many leading automakers have committed to achieving net-zero emissions across their entire value chain by 2050. 

The good news: The global electromobility revolution rolls forward: 11 million battery electric vehicles were manufactures in 2024 and even 32 million battery electric vehicles will be produced in 2030. (Infineon estimate based on S&P Automotive Semiconductor Tracker - September 2024; October 2024 )

Semiconductor innovations for a greener road ahead

The shift to a widespread adoption of electric vehicles is fueled by powerful technologies, most of them invisible under the hood. Semiconductors, these tiny, powerful components, are the quiet enablers of the electric car revolution, orchestrating the seamless interplay between battery, motor, and charging infrastructure. From optimizing battery management to reducing charging times, semiconductors are essential to pushing the limits of today’s electric cars. Sensors and microcontrollers measure and control every detail with a precision of milliseconds and even nanoseconds. Power semiconductors, such as those used in traction inverters, convert the electricity from the battery towards the motor.

Powerful traction inverters for electric vehicles

The traction inverter plays a crucial role in electric vehicles, serving as the cornerstone for regulating the motor's torque and speed, enabling regenerative braking to recharge the battery, and ensuring optimal power delivery.
At the heart of this are Infineon's electric vehicle traction inverter components, which are designed to optimize range and reliability, ensuring that drivers of an electric vehicle can go further and enjoy consistent performance.

Infineon further supports the advancement of electric mobility with highly scalable and automotive-qualified system solutions tailored to meet the specific requirements of electric car inverters. These solutions not only emphasize efficiency and optimized performance but also facilitate a fast time to market, ensuring that manufacturers can swiftly integrate cutting-edge technology into their vehicles.

The use of innovative materials such as silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are the key to minimize energy losses. By enhancing the conversion from the battery's direct current to the alternating current that powers the motor, they make sure that the energy is optimally used. This efficiency extends to smart braking recuperation. which captures and reuses energy that would otherwise be lost.

By optimizing the inverter system, semiconductors play a pivotal role in extending the distance electric vehicles can travel on a single charge – all without compromising performance. Every kilowatt-hour saved translates directly into additional kilometers on the road, underscoring the significant impact of advanced semiconductor technology on the efficiency and range of electric vehicles.

EV traction inverter

Optimizing electric vehicles batteries

Behind every high-voltage battery lies a sophisticated battery management system. It works as the brain of the battery, constantly monitoring the state of each of the hundreds or even thousands of battery cells, balancing their load and protecting every single cell from overheating or deep discharge. At the first signs of trouble, it can isolate defect cells. 

Infineon enables advanced battery management solutions that prioritize battery safety and battery health, while also enhancing the vehicle's range and performance.

Battery management systems (BMS)

On-board charging – the hidden power hub of every electric car

Every electric vehicle carries a silent powerhouse, the on-board charger, which efficiently converts alternating current from public or home charging points into the direct current the battery requires. The power comes directly from the grid while the car is parked. The on-board charging not only functions as the gatekeeper of speed, determining how fast an electric vehicle can charge, but also keeping an eye on thermal resilience, battling heat build-ups during charging, ensuring efficiency without frying its circuits. On-board chargers of the next generation will be even more powerful, lighter, and more efficient, revolutionizing how the electric future is powered.

Onboard battery charger for electric vehicles

Electric vehicles in the fast lane with semiconductors from Infineon Technologies

According to the latest market research from TechInsights (“2024 Automotive Semiconductor Vendor Market Share”, March 2025), Infineon is the global number one in automotive for the fifth year in a row and is dedicated to the decarbonization and digitalization of cars. Thanks to a leading expertise in microcontrollers, sensors, power semiconductors as well as in connectivity and security solutions, Infineon is the partner of choice for car manufacturers across the world when it comes to electric vehicles. Infineon semiconductors deliver the efficiency, performance, and intelligence needed to accelerate the shift to the electric era of mobility. 

Spotlight on innovation: The Infineon Hybrid Pack™ family

The HybridPACK™ Drive G2 Fusion is the latest innovation in Infineon’s successful HybridPACK™ family, setting a new standard for power electronics in electro mobility. It’s the first time that silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC) technologies have been combined in a single module, providing an optimal balance of performance, efficiency, and cost – a big step toward sustainable mobility.

The trade-off between increasing performance and keeping costs low

Silicon (Si) is widely used in electronics because it’s affordable and works well in different applications. Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a very efficient, high-performance material, but such raw material is much more expensive compared to Silicon. Using pure SiC in electric vehicles can help increase the range and reduce charging times, but it also raises the overall costs. Likewise, using only Si lowers the costs, but may compromise efficiency and performance.

Infineons HybridPACK™ Drive G2 Fusion combines silicon carbide and silicon

The HybridPACK™ Drive G2 Fusion module acts as a smart manager, leveraging the strengths of both materials. It utilizes SiC where efficiency is crucial, and relies on cost-effective Si where sufficient. This makes the electric vehicle powerful, efficient, and affordable.

  • For Silicon Carbide driving (70% of driving situations):
    SiC is sufficient for typical operations such as city traffic or highway driving, where high power is not constantly needed.
  • For demanding situations (30% of driving situations):
    Si is employed for high-demand scenarios, such as rapid acceleration or uphill driving, ensuring efficiency and performance.

What are the benefits?

  • Improved range: SiC's efficiency in everyday standard situations enhances overall vehicle range.
  • Lower costs: By using SiC only where necessary, overall costs remain significantly lower than pure SiC solutions.
  • Optimal performance: The vehicle delivers top performance in both every day and challenging conditions.

Explore more portfolio