Gree Electric Appliances is set to expand the mass production of silicon carbide (SiC) chips beyond home appliances to photovoltaic storage and logistics vehicles this year, the company revealed on Tuesday at the Greater Bay Area Compound Semiconductor Ecosystem Application Conference.
Feng Yin, Assistant to the President of Gree Electric and General Manager of Zhuhai Gree Electronic Components Co., said that after producing SiC chips for household appliances, the company will now focus on chips for energy storage and logistics vehicles.
As a compound semiconductor material, SiC is known for its high-voltage tolerance, high-frequency performance, and high-temperature resistance. SiC power chips have already been widely applied in the core systems of new energy vehicles.
On current 400V vehicle platforms, replacing traditional silicon-based IGBT modules with SiC power devices can increase overall vehicle efficiency by 1%-1.5%, translating to a 2%-3% improvement in driving range. On more advanced 800V high-voltage platforms, the benefits are even more pronounced, with vehicle efficiency improving by 3%-4% and range extending by 5%-8%. In addition to motor control, SiC is also increasingly used in vehicle charging systems.
On January 15, GAC Group Chairman Feng Xingya led a delegation to visit Gree Electric. During the meeting, Gree Electric Chairwoman Dong Mingzhu joked that in the future, half of GAC’s automotive chips could be replaced by Gree products.
Gree’s ability to set such ambitious supply targets stems from its technological expertise and production capacity in SiC chips. Established in 2023, Gree Electronic Components Co. focuses on the design, wafer fabrication, module packaging, and testing of SiC chips. Gree’s chips have already been installed in more than 2 million air conditioners, delivering both lower operating temperatures and higher energy efficiency.
The company’s semiconductor business has achieved scaled production, generating over 10 billion yuan in revenue in 2024. By 2025, cumulative chip shipments had exceeded 300 million units.
Gree Electric first entered the chip sector in 2015 and now houses the Microelectronics Institute and Power Semiconductor Institute within its Communication Technology Research Institute. The company’s chip team now includes nearly 1,000 employees, with technical staff accounting for more than 60% of the workforce.
Leveraging their high-voltage tolerance, high-temperature resistance, and efficiency, Gree’s SiC power chips have expanded from home appliances to applications in new energy vehicles, industrial systems, and specialized scenarios.
