Renault's Ampere Secures Multi-Year BEV Power Module Supplies to Slash Fast-Charge Times

Renault’s battery-electric-vehicle development wing, Ampere, says it is securing a multi-year agreement for supplies of silicon carbide power modules for its products.

It signs an agreement with Swiss manufacturer of semiconductor technologies, STMicroelectronics, to begin receiving supplies of the modules by 2026.

The deal centers on the two companies collaborating on the production of powerbox and cooling systems of inverters to boost efficiency of Ampere's new-generation electric motors.

The pair are working on the optimization of the power module, a key element in the powerbox, to get the highest performance and best competitiveness in the e-powertrain, drawing on Ampere’s expertise in BEV technology and STMicroelectronics’ expertise in advanced power electronics.

Power modules are composed of numerous silicon carbide chips and manage and convert electrical power from the battery to drive the electric motor. They play a crucial role in the efficiency of the electric powertrain and battery range, as well as energy regeneration features, making them a key element of the efficiency of an electric car. They also contribute to the smoothness and responsiveness of driving.

The resulting powerbox is designed to handle e-powertrains across Ampere’s lineup, on 400V BEVs and for C-segment vehicles with 800V batteries, and claims to allow greater autonomy and faster charging. With 800V powertrains, the system claims to achieve between 10%-80% quick charge in 15 minutes or less.

Philippe Brunet, senior vice president of powertrain and BEV engineering at Ampere, says: “This agreement is the result of the intensive work carried out with STMicroelectronics. By working upstream together, we were able to optimize and secure the supply of key components for our electric powertrains, to offer high-performance EVs with increased range and optimized charging time. It perfectly aligns with Ampere's strategy to master the entire value chain of power electronics for its e-powertrain, leveraging STMicroelectronics’ expertise in power modules.”