The global push for electrification and digitalization is accelerating innovation in power electronics, especially in two critical sectors: electric and hybrid electric vehicles (xEVs) and data centers. This presentation explores the latest technological trends and market dynamics shaping the future of power devices in these applications, with a special focus on the evolving roles of Silicon, Silicon Carbide (SiC), and Gallium Nitride (GaN) semiconductor technologies.

In the xEV domain, sustainability goals and electrification trends are driving long-term growth, with the market expected to reach 64.3 million vehicles by 2030. The corresponding power device market is projected to reach nearly $14.9 billion, fueled by the trend toward full vehicle electrification and the increased adoption of Wide Bandgap (WBG) technologies and high-voltage architectures such as 800V and the emerging 1,000V systems. These platforms are being accelerated by advances in SiC technology, reduced substrate costs, and expanded high-power charging infrastructure. SiC’s superior efficiency, thermal performance, and compactness are key enablers of higher power density, longer driving range, and smaller system footprints—particularly in traction inverters for BEVs. Chinese OEMs are leading this shift through the aggressive integration of SiC. PHEVs, currently still almost exclusively based on IGBTs, are also beginning to adopt SiC in their main inverters as battery capacities increase. Silicon devices remain the technology of choice primarily for hybrid electric vehicles and low-power electric vehicles. GaN remains a promising contender in xEVs, with potential deployment in onboard chargers and DC-DC converters—and, in the longer term, in main inverters—though its adoption is hindered by cost, supply chain, and technology challenges.In data centers, the surge in AI workloads has triggered an urgent need for higher-efficiency power conversion. Power Supply Units (PSUs) are central to this transformation, with the market expected to grow at a 15.5% CAGR, reaching $14.1 billion by 2030. The introduction of the 80 PLUS Ruby certification sets a new efficiency benchmark, demanding up to 96.5% efficiency at 50% load. To meet such stringent targets and rising power densities—now exceeding 100 W/in³—PSU designers are rapidly adopting WBG semiconductors. SiC and GaN together are expected to account for 24% of PSU power device shipments by 2030.

Hybrid designs combining Si, SiC, and GaN in optimized topologies are emerging as the new standard. Infineon’s new 400V SiC class targets three-level PSU topologies to further push efficiency boundaries. These innovations are key to addressing the dual challenges of energy efficiency and power scalability in future AI-driven data centers.