Mercedes EQ Formula E team partners ON Semiconductors for next-gen EVs

The Mercedes EQ Formula E Team has gained a new supplier with ON Semiconductor. The relationship will build on the existing cooperation between ON Semiconductor and Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport in Formula One, where the company’s technology is already utilised in the energy recovery pack that controls ignition and injection on the Formula One race car.

The partnership aims to develop next-generation electric power innovations for cutting-edge performance and efficiency.

David Somo, senior vice-president, corporate strategy, marketing and solutions engineering, ON Semiconductor, said, “This partnership showcases our full range of power semiconductors and modules in supporting the continuing success of Mercedes-AMG Petronas Motorsport as part of a demanding and dynamic sport.”

The present product portfolio offered by ON Semiconductor include insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBT), high-voltage gate drivers and wide band gap (WBG) developments in Silicon Carbide (SiC) and Gallium Nitride (GaN) that are suitable for next‑generation electric vehicles.

These and other technologies are said to provide a longer driving range between charges, faster battery charging times and better thermal management. The more efficient the semiconductor device, the lesser is the power that is lost to wasted heat, resulting in better mileage or miles per watt of energy.