Japan's leading semiconductor manufacturers are actively expanding the production capacity of power semiconductors. In order to supply pure electric vehicles, Toshiba will invest about 25 billion yen (about 1.5 billion yuan) to introduce a large number of power semiconductor manufacturing equipment in its main factory, Ishikawa prefecture, to increase the plant's power semiconductor production capacity by 20%, Nikkei reported on March 10.
In addition, Toshiba plans to build a new production line at the Kaga plant, with the goal of starting operation by the end of fiscal year 2023. Toshiba said that with the expansion of the electric vehicle market, it plans to invest about 80 billion yen in fiscal year 2023, increasing the overall production capacity of power semiconductors by 30%, and the introduction of new manufacturing equipment will be the core investment.
Toshiba, a subsidiary of Mitsui Group, is located in the first array of Japanese semiconductor manufacturers, which mainly produces memory chips and is also a leading manufacturer of integrated motors.
Toshiba's expansion reflects the trend that Japanese semiconductor manufacturers are vigorously embracing the power semiconductor market. Both Mitsubishi Electric and Fuji Electric are investing more in this area. Toshiba and Fuji Motor will invest a total of 200 billion yen ($1.9 billion) in December to increase the production of energy-efficient chips for electric vehicles, according to Nikkei.
Toshiba's production expansion is mainly to provide power semiconductors for electric vehicles, which is closely related to the rise in volume and price of automobile power semiconductors driven by the trend of electrification.
In traditional internal combustion engine cars, the total cost of bicycle power semiconductors is about $71. Under the higher voltage and power demand of hybrid / electric vehicles, the value of power semiconductors per bike has been increased. According to Infineon data, the cost of new power semiconductors in BEV- pure electric vehicles has reached $350, which is nearly five times that of traditional fuel-fueled vehicles.
According to the forecasts of IHS and other institutions, the sales of all kinds of electric vehicles are expected to grow from less than 5 million in 2018 to nearly 60 million in 2030, an increase of more than 10 times, driving the rapid development of the automotive power semiconductor market.
Data show that Toshiba Jiaga factory electric vehicles in the direction of power semiconductor orders are particularly large, the factory area has been expanded again and again.
In addition, the country's carbon neutralization target is also a big contributor. On December 25, 2020, the Japanese government announced the "Green growth Strategy", defining the time schedule with the goal of "zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050". It is planned to stop the sale of new gasoline vehicles in Japan in the mid-2030s, all electric vehicles in 2050, and focus on offshore wind power generation.
Power semiconductors are not only the core components of electric vehicles, but also will be increasingly used in industrial robots and offshore wind power facilities. According to the China Business Industry Research Institute, in 2019, the automotive sector accounted for 35.4% of the global power semiconductor market, the industrial sector accounted for 26.8%, and consumer electronics accounted for 13.2%.
