Jaguar Land Rover and Wolfspeed Inc. announced a strategic partnership today to secure the supply of silicon carbide semiconductors required in the brands' future electric vehicles. The enhanced silicon carbide technology will lead to increased efficiency and range.
Jaguar Land Rover will turn into an all-electric company using its Reimagine strategy to achieve carbon neutrality throughout its supply chain, including goods, services, and operations, by 2039.
Wolfspeed's sophisticated silicon carbide technology will be employed in the inverters of the vehicles to handle power transfer from the battery to the electric motors. The first Range Rover vehicles equipped with this advanced technology will be available in 2024, followed by the launch of the new all-electric Jaguar brand the following year.
Wolfspeed's connection with the Jaguar TCS Racing team in the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship, where innovative silicon carbide technology has been employed to boost efficiency and performance on the racetrack, is being expanded.
This is the latest deal signed by Jaguar Land Rover to forge more strategic collaborations with industry-leading businesses to safeguard the brand's future modern luxury automobiles. Jaguar Land Rover announced cooperation with NVIDIA in February 2022, focusing on next-generation automated driving technologies and AI-enabled services and experiences, with implementation beginning in 2025.
"We are no strangers to working together with the Jaguar TCS Racing team for the previous five seasons," stated Thierry Bolloré, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover. "As part of our Reimagine approach, we will include Wolfspeed's innovative silicon carbide technology when constructing next-generation electric vehicles, providing our customers with greater range and performance."
"Wolfspeed is thrilled to partner with Jaguar Land Rover and supports the company's ambitious commitment to electrify its iconic brands by harnessing the superior performance, efficiency, and range of silicon carbide," stated Gregg Lowe, President, and CEO of Wolfspeed. "The energy efficiency of silicon carbide will be critical as Jaguar Land Rover attempts to achieve carbon neutrality and the globe moves to an all-electric future."
The collaborative deal means that Jaguar Land Rover will participate in the Wolfspeed Assurance of Supply Program, which will secure the availability of this technology for future electric car production. This will give Jaguar Land Rover better visibility and control over its future supply chain. It is a critical component of the new value chain that will permeate the business and supply chain under Barbara Bergmeier, President of Industrial Operations.
Wolfspeed's cutting-edge technology powers electrical systems across the whole voltage range, from 400 V to 800 V. Wolfspeed's facility in Marcy, New York, opened in April 2022 and is the world's largest silicon carbide plant, will manufacture the silicon carbide solutions. The wholly automated plant significantly boosts the availability of Wolfspeed's silicon carbide technologies, benefiting from rising demand from electric vehicle manufacturers and other advanced technology sectors worldwide.
The new collaboration with Wolfspeed will ensure the availability of silicon carbide semiconductors and technology, which will be critical when next-generation Jaguar Land Rover cars are electrified.
