At the Vienna Motor Symposium 2025, AVL and VisIC Technologies presented
next-generation GaN traction inverters. With record efficiencies of over 99.6 %,
real vehicle demonstrators, and scalable production, the partnership sets new
benchmarks for cost, performance, and sustainability in e-mobility.
VisIC Technologies and AVL Set
New Standards in GaN Inverters
Over 99.6 % Efficiency:
lectrification is advancing rapidly, driving demand for
higher efficiency and lower costs in vehicle power elec-
tronics. Silicon carbide (SiC) has proven highly efficient
but remains costly. Gallium nitride (GaN) promises SiC-like
efficiency at costs closer to insulated gate bipolar transistor
(IGBT) technology. While analysts do not expect mass-market
GaN inverters much before 2030, AVL and VisIC have already
demonstrated real-world prototypes.
The Joint Project
In collaboration with VisIC Technologies, a global leader in
GaN devices for e-mobility, AVL brought GaN traction inverters
into application. At the Vienna Motor Symposium 2025, the
partners showcased a 400 V dual inverter built with VisIC’s
D³GaN-on-Silicon technology and integrated into AVL’s high-
speed EDU platform. A 48 V embedded GaN inverter was
also presented, underlining the wide application range. The
collaboration extends into AVL’s Tesla demonstrator car, where
the high-speed EDU will be equipped with a dual GaN inverter
delivering 160 – 200 kW per motor.
Technological Breakthroughs
On AVL’s e-motor testbed, the VisIC-based GaN inverter
achieved 99.67 % efficiency at 10 kHz and even exceeded
99.8 % at 5 kHz. This outperforms comparable SiC inverters
by up to 0.5 % and cuts switching losses by more than 60 %.
Higher switching frequencies allow more compact designs
with less cooling effort, supporting lighter, more efficient drive
trains. Sustainability is another benefit: GaN-on-Silicon devices
require less energy and CO2 in production and can be made in
standard 200 mm and 300 mm silicon foundries – enabling
scalable manufacturing.
Proof in Practice
The GaN inverter has been implemented in the PI850e inverter
development platform as a rapid proof of concept. Currently,
the dual-inverter setup is being integrated into the AVL Tesla
demonstrator car. Test results will be available in Q1, 2026.
This mix of testbed validation and vehicle demonstration en-
sures customers gain early access to running prototypes and
trustworthy performance data. AVL also provides testing ser-
vices to benchmark GaN against other technologies, as well
as system expertise – from integration to control software
and application design. The result: faster development, reliable
decisions, and cost savings, while preparing OEMs for the shift
to scalable 800 V GaN modules.
“Working with VisICs new GaN
power module for high-power
systems enables us to offer our
customers cutting-edge solutions
that are optimally aligned with the
requirements of next-generation
drive systems.”
THOMAS FREY
Head of Segment E-Mobility & E-Drive System
at AVL Software and Functions GmbH
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