On October 20, at the 2026 Chery Global Innovation Conference, Chery Automobile announced its strategic transition from a "traditional automaker" to an "AI-driven global intelligent technology company," and unveiled its self-developed automotive-grade chip brand—the Ziwei series, which includes SiC chips.
Chery Automobile stated that its self-developed SiC chips are currently manufactured using 8-inch process technology, and next-generation products will adopt trench/super-junction processes. In fact, Chery has been strategically positioned in the SiC field for a long time, having launched multiple SiC-equipped vehicle models and established partnerships with various SiC chip and module enterprises.
01. Chery Automobile: Unveils Self-Developed SiC Chips
At this year's Innovation Conference, Dr. Gao Xinhua, Executive Vice President and CTO of Chery Automobile Co., Ltd., personally unveiled Chery's independently controllable Ziwei chip series. The core products include the Ziwei C series (central computing chips), Ziwei S series (automotive-grade SiC chips), and Ziwei M series (automotive-grade control chips).
Dr. Gao Xinhua noted that range and charging efficiency are the most concerning issues for NEVs. As automotive platform voltages continue to rise, silicon-based IGBTs are no longer suitable due to excessively high power losses, making SiC chips critical for improving efficiency.
Therefore, Chery chose to independently develop and launch the Ziwei S series SiC chips, advancing according to a "three generations in three years" roadmap:
From 2024 to 2025, Chery's first-generation SiC chips are manufactured based on 6-inch planar process technology, featuring two specifications: 1200V/110A and 1200V/100A. They cover 800V main drive applications and are currently in mass production and deployed in vehicles;
In 2026, Chery will adopt 8-inch planar process technology to launch chips with specifications of 1200V/190A, 1500V/150A, and 2300V/110A, adapting to 800V/1000V/1500V automotive platforms, as well as AI power supply and solid-state transformer applications;
In 2027, Chery will adopt trench/super-junction technology to launch products with specifications of 1200V/260A, 1500V/200A, and 3300V/100A, aiming to further reduce on-resistance and conduction losses.
Notably, the Ziwei S1500 SiC chip is mass-produced using 8-inch process technology, with a voltage rating of 1500V, a specific on-resistance of 2.0 mΩ·cm², a maximum efficiency of 99.6%, and a maximum operating temperature of 200°C, combining high efficiency, low loss, and high-temperature reliability.
Dr. Gao Xinhua further revealed that the Ziwei S series SiC chips can be provided in 5 package types, covering the full voltage range of 750V-1500V, with current capabilities reaching 450A-1450A, applicable to all platform models of Chery.
In addition to SiC chips, Chery also unveiled the "Xunlong Flash Charge" technology developed in partnership with CATL at the event. As a megawatt-level energy replenishment solution, the system boasts a peak power of 1.44 MW and a maximum current of 1500A, enabling a 5-minute charge to add 500 km of range, and taking only 6 minutes and 50 seconds to charge from 10% to 97%.
Chery also simultaneously launched the "Ten Cities, Hundred Stations" vehicle-to-grid (V2G) interaction plan, aiming to build 20,000 Xunlong Flash Charge stations with V2G capabilities globally by 2029. On the vehicle front, models such as the Fengyun A9, Fengyun T9L, and Exeed ES will gradually be equipped with this energy replenishment system, indicating that Chery's lineup of high-voltage fast-charging models will further expand.
Reviewing Chery's path to introducing SiC technology, its initial deployment was at the platform level. In April 2023, Chery specified that its pure electric platform EOX would adopt an 800V voltage architecture and SiC power modules. Following the confirmation of the platform roadmap, the first batch of SiC models, including the Exeed Sterra ES and the Luxeed S7 developed in collaboration with Huawei, were successively launched.
From 2024 to 2025, the coverage of SiC within the Chery system has significantly expanded: models such as the 2025 Sterra ES, Sterra ET pure electric version, and Fengyun E06 pure electric version are all built on the 800V SiC architecture. SiC technology is becoming a standard feature across vehicle lines and is gradually extending to the NEV product sequences of Chery's main brand.
In addition, Chery launched the mass-produced Zongheng G700 model at the end of 2025. This off-road vehicle extends the application of SiC from on-road driving to underwater propulsion—its ARK amphibious system is equipped with an 800V high-voltage SiC high-speed underwater thruster, further broadening the application scenarios of SiC within Chery's product ecosystem.
Public data shows that in 2025, Chery Automobile sold a total of 903,847 NEVs for the full year, a year-on-year increase of 54.9%. NEVs accounted for over 90% of all newly launched models throughout the year. Currently, Chery has completed a comprehensive layout across multiple technological routes, including internal combustion, hybrid, extended-range, pure electric, and hydrogen fuel.
02. Analyzing Chery's SiC Layout: Partnerships Established with 5 Enterprises
A review by Ascompound Semiconductor reveals that Chery Automobile's partnerships in the SiC field are not limited to a single model but encompass multiple levels, including strategic incubation, technological co-creation, product designation, and capital investment. The following are SiC device/module manufacturers with publicly disclosed partnerships with Chery Automobile:
YOFC Advanced Semiconductor Co., Ltd. (YASC)
In 2023, YASC and Chery held a strategic cooperation signing ceremony for the "Automotive Chip Joint Laboratory," with both parties stating they would carry out extensive cooperation in automotive-grade chips and their automotive application technologies, as well as market development.
In February 2026, YASC announced the completion of its Series A+ equity financing of over CNY 1 billion, led by Jiangcheng Fund and Changjiang Industry Group, with participation from institutions such as Optics Valley Financial Holding and the Xinche Zhilian Fund under Chery.
Regarding SiC capacity construction, YASC has formed a dual-base layout in Wuhu and Wuhan. It currently has an annual wafer and epitaxial capacity of 420,000 pieces, with the Wuhan base fully equipped with 6/8-inch compatible equipment and an annual capacity of 360,000 pieces.
ROHM
In July 2025, ROHM and Chery Automobile jointly held the "Chery-ROHM Supply Chain Technology Co-creation Exchange Day." It was revealed that SiC wafers have been applied to the electric drive systems of Chery models such as the Sterra ES/ET. Currently, ROHM has built and successfully put into production 8-inch SiC production lines at its Apollo Chikugo Plant and Miyazaki Second Plant.
Ruidi Microelectronics
Founded in June 2019, Ruidi Microelectronics was incubated by Chery Automobile. Chery Technology is its largest shareholder and actual controller, holding approximately 27.65% of the shares.
According to Ruidi Microelectronics' official WeChat account, the company is deeply engaged in the fields of IGBT, SiC chips, and power modules, and has independently developed automotive-grade IGBTs and 1200V SiC modules. Currently, related products have entered the supply chains of multiple OEMs, including Chery, Leapmotor, and Geely.
Leadrive Technology
In February 2025, Leadrive Technology announced the completion of its Series E financing and revealed that it has reached deep cooperation with leading domestic automakers such as SAIC-GM-Wuling, Chery, Seres, and Changan, securing mass production design wins for SiC/IGBT in dozens of vehicle models.
Xizhi Technology
In August this year, Xizhi Technology announced that the cumulative delivery of its automotive power module SiC APM2 has exceeded 200,000 units, supporting high-end passenger car models such as IM Motors, SAIC Audi, and Chery Jetour.
03. Summary by Ascompound Semiconductor
For Chery, SiC is no longer just a power device for improving range and charging efficiency; it is the underlying technology that its high-voltage platforms, fast-charging systems, and product differentiation all rely on.
Looking at its iteration path, the shift from 6-inch to 8-inch and from planar gate to trench gate not only confirms industry trends, indicating that 8-inch SiC production lines are gradually entering mass production and commercialization, and that trench gate or super-junction technology will become a key choice for the next-generation technology route, but also demonstrates that Chery, as an OEM, is driving and embracing the generational switch in SiC technology.
From the perspective of mainstream industry trends, SiC is becoming one of the core technologies determining the competitiveness of automakers' next-generation products, and the parallel approach of external cooperation and self-developed incubation has become a common choice for automakers. The significance of Chery's layout lies precisely here: through a dual-route layout, it balances the pace of product implementation with the accumulation of independent capabilities, thereby maintaining its core competitiveness.