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Yes, that may sound a little geeky, but Gallium Nitride (GaN) is gaining ground in multiple industries. I first ran across GaN devices in the newest crop of high powered chargers for electronics like cell phones and USB-C laptops/tablets. These new chargers can deliver a lot of power to even large devices and still be kept small and lightweight. They also run cooler and should last longer. When I first encountered them, I wondered when GaN might make the jump to EVs and it looks like Texas Instruments, the company of calculator fame, is heading in that direction. By using GaN to make EV inverters/converters smaller, lighter, and more efficient, it will improve the one thing we all want more of - EV range! The cost may not be at parity with older silicon or silicon carbide (SiC) tech at the moment, but with scale and the other advantages above, GaN sounds like it will eventually be in all EVs. It could also play a part in shrinking and making fast DC charging equipment more efficient. Driving the electric vehicle evolution with GaN 
1 Comment
Francis
11/15/2020 11:08:36 am
GaN’s are definitely going to change the EV industry but I think it may be a long time before this happens. GaNs are great because they allow power electronics to be smaller and more efficient. Manufacturing of GaN chips, however, is still not at the level of that of Silicon chips. The GaN based transistors are bigger than than the ones found in silicon chips so you can fit less of them on the same amount of area. I think that we will see more GaN based electrical systems but it will take a while before they become mainstream because making silicon chips is complex and we might need a manufacturing process equally as complex to reach parity. The future is bright! Your comment will be posted after it is approved.
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AuthorRobert Fernatt - EV, solar, and coffee aficionado. Also, cat servant. Archives
October 2023
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