A Review of Silicon Carbide Power Devices in Electric Vehicle Drive Systems

Abstract

Transportation electrification and high-voltage fast charging are driving traction inverters toward higher efficiency, greater power density and deeper integration. 4H-SiC, with its high critical electric field, high thermal conductivity and rapid switching capability, has emerged as a key device platform for 800-V-class electric drivetrains. We organize the application of SiC MOSFETs and Schottky barrier diodes in this review, covering material and device fundamentals through to drivetrain topologies, inverter control, packaging, thermal management, reliability and future trends. From the literature it emerges that SiC can lower switching loss, especially under light load and at elevated switching frequencies, and enables smaller passive and cooling elements. These benefits, however, are contingent on coordinated design of the dc-bus voltage, topology, modulation, gate drive, parasitics, thermal path and vehicle mission profile. Major barriers include the cost of substrates and epitaxy, gate-oxide stability, electromagnetic interference arising from high dv/dt, limited short-circuit withstand time and package fatigue under high heat flux. Future progress is anticipated from 200-mm manufacturing, advanced device structures, low-inductance double-sided cooling packages, heterogeneous SiC/GaN architectures and health-aware control. Rather than universally displacing silicon, SiC will deliver the greatest value where its device-level advantages can be converted into verifiable lifetime benefits at vehicle level.