Toyota PCU with silicon power semiconductors

The automaker Toyato announced a new development of silicon carbide (SiC) power semiconductors for use in power control units. It is said  thenew developed SiC will be put into testing on Japanese roads within the next year.

The new PCU is said to take the silicon carbide compound as the compound, which offers less electrical resistance and improves efficiency when passing current between the battery and electric motor. It also loses less power after shutting off, and can operate at a higher frequency. The net power loss of the new PCU is just one-tenth of the current silicone-only version (the latter accounting for 20 percent of total electrical power loss in today's hybrids). The result, so far, is a claimed five-percent improvement in fuel economy in test vehicles, with the potential of ten percent by the time the new SiC power semiconductor comes to market.

apart from the advantages mentioned above, the carbide wafers also allow for smaller a power module, coil and capacitor, thus allowing the entire PCU to be 80 percent smaller.