According to sources, the company wants to begin construction work on the site – a former coal power station in Ensdorf – as soon as possible, with production scheduled to begin in four years. There will also be a joint research centre built on the site.
Handelsblatt says confirmation of German state subsidies for the project is still outstanding. As with other semiconductor manufacturers, these are expected to cover around 40 per cent of total costs.
More expensive than conventional silicon, silicon carbide is in demand worldwide because of its useful properties as a semiconductor material in EV applications. Smaller, lighter and more energy-efficient than their silicon counterparts, SiC chips are able to significantly increase the range and performance of electric vehicles.
The news of the mega fab sets ZF in direct competition with Bosch, thus far the only automotive supplier to manufacture its own SiC chips.
