Recently, "Hangjiashuo Third-Generation Semiconductors" noted that 3 more OBC manufacturers have adopted GaN technology. Combined with existing research, nearly 10 OBC manufacturers, including Inovance United Power, United Automotive Electronic Systems (UAES), ShinyPower, Schaeffler, Fute Technology, and Valeo, are now involved, indicating that the commercialization process is steadily accelerating.
Focusing on the development trend of GaN in automotive power supplies and its application scale in the NEV (New Energy Vehicle) market, the "2026 GaN Industry Research White Paper" makes the following key judgments:
The adoption of GaN technology in the automotive OBC industry continues to accelerate. Unidirectional GaN devices are planned for commercialization by the end of this year, while bidirectional GaN devices are expected to be applied in mass production within the next two years;
By 2031, the automotive GaN market will exceed CNY 1.864 billion (approximately USD 274 million), with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 36.95%.
3 OBC Manufacturers Adopt GaN Commercialization Process Steadily Accelerates
In the third quarter of 2026, 3 more OBC manufacturers have finalized technical collaborations or launched new products, including a single-stage topology solution based on bidirectional GaN, indicating that the adoption of GaN technology in the automotive OBC industry continues to accelerate:
Schaeffler
In July, Schaeffler officially released its new-generation global automotive power supply platform, which includes the Bidirectional GaN (GaN BDS) Matrix Converter Single-Stage Topology OBC Platform and the GaN DC/DC Platform.
It is reported that Schaeffler's bidirectional GaN OBC platform covers power ratings of 7kW, 11kW, 15.4kW, and 22kW. The 7kW version is targeted at the Chinese market, featuring a power density of >7kW/L and a peak efficiency of >98%, with industrialization expected in 2027. Taking the product designed for the domestic 220V single-phase AC as an example, the primary side has been reduced from 8 discrete MOSFETs to 4 GaN BDS devices. Compared with traditional two-stage OBCs, the cost is reduced by approximately 8%.
In addition, Schaeffler's new GaN DC/DC platform can flexibly adapt to 12V/48V outputs, with a measured peak efficiency of >97%. As a standardized, low-profile power unit, Schaeffler's GaN DC/DC can be flexibly embedded as "building blocks" into integrated systems such as multi-in-one electric drives, multi-in-one power domains, and multi-in-one chassis domains.
Vmax
On September 14, Texas Instruments announced that it has officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Vmax to empower OBC DC/DC and AI data centers with F29 MCU and GaN technology.
Texas Instruments stated that the collaboration has expanded from project synergy in the NEV field to multi-track cooperation covering both the NEV and AI fields. Vmax also mentioned in its 2026 semi-annual report that it is introducing GaN technology to increase the switching frequency to 500kHz, further reducing the size and weight of automotive power supply products.
Aurobay Technology
On September 1, Nexperia Holdings (Netherlands) announced that it will reach a strategic partnership with Aurobay Technology, a subsidiary of Aurobay (a joint venture between Geely and Renault Group). The two parties will explore next-generation electrification and hybrid vehicle platforms.
Previously, GaN devices from Nexperia (Netherlands) have been successfully applied in Aurobay Technology's highly integrated power generation system for range extender applications. This collaboration will further explore the extended applications of SiC and GaN in traction inverters and power generation systems based on this foundation.
According to data from the "2026 GaN Industry Research White Paper," many OBC manufacturers, including Inovance United Power, United Automotive Electronic Systems, ShinyPower, Schaeffler, Fute Technology, and Valeo, have launched GaN-based solution products. The power ratings are mainly concentrated at 6.6kW, while 11kW and 22kW ratings are also gradually penetrating the market, making the commercialization process increasingly faster.
Bidirectional GaN to Achieve Mass Production Within Two Years Automotive-Grade GaN Market to Exceed CNY 1.8 Billion
According to research from the "2026 GaN Industry Research White Paper," there are more than 7 application scenarios for GaN power devices in NEVs. In addition to automotive power supplies like OBC/DC-DC, these include main drive inverters, range extenders/generators, Lidar, automotive audio amplifier units, and EV charging facilities.
At this stage, the main application scenario for GaN devices in automobiles is concentrated in low-power Lidar. However, in the tens-of-kilowatt OBC market, unidirectional GaN devices have completed road tests and are planned for commercialization by the end of this year; bidirectional GaN devices have also initiated testing and are expected to be applied in mass production within the next two years.
According to the analysis in the "GaN White Paper," the automotive OBC industry currently faces significant cost pressure, and the market has entered a stage of full competition. The single-stage power conversion solution is becoming the core competitive technology direction. By choosing the bidirectional GaN route, automakers and Tier 1 suppliers can achieve higher power density and efficiency, and replace multiple discrete Si MOSFETs with a single bidirectional GaN switch, thereby reducing the bill of materials (BOM) cost of the entire machine.
Currently, some device manufacturers can optimize the cost of a single bidirectional GaN device to less than 1.5 times that of two unidirectional GaN devices, demonstrating better cost-effectiveness. However, there are still multiple obstacles for bidirectional GaN, and reliability refinement is needed before large-scale stable mass production. Nevertheless, the overall progress is faster than expected, and the industry is generally quite optimistic about commercialization within the next two years.
Overall, the ramp-up of GaN penetration in OBCs and the volume production pace of bidirectional GaN are the two core variables determining the upper limit of the automotive GaN market size. Meanwhile, with the advancement of the automotive 48V architecture, opportunities for GaN in the low-voltage field will be further broadened.
According to forecasts by Expert Talk Research, the automotive GaN market will exceed CNY 1.864 billion (approximately USD 274 million) by 2031, with a CAGR of 36.95%. In addition to the demand driven by Lidar and OBC, demand from other scenarios is expected to contribute incremental growth, jointly supporting the rapid expansion of this market.
In addition to the automotive power supply scenario, the "2026 GaN Industry Research White Paper" also provides specific analysis on automotive applications such as main drive, automotive Lidar, and automotive audio amplifiers. Overall, the research dimensions of this white paper cover three major sections, and subscriptions from all sectors are welcome:
First, it covers hot emerging tracks, systematically analyzing the application implementation and industry development opportunities of GaN in hotspot markets such as data centers and humanoid robots;
Second, based on the global industrial landscape, it deeply dissects the global GaN market size and supply-demand patterns, while also conducting a systematic analysis of the market prices and production costs of GaN power semiconductors;
Third, focusing on technological iteration and upgrades, it comprehensively reviews the core processes, technological breakthroughs, and latest industrialization progress of GaN power devices.
The compilation of this white paper also received deep participation and support from Gejing Semiconductor, Innoscience, Nenghua Semiconductor, Zhineng, CR Micro, Sanan Semiconductor, Gaiao Technology, Xianwei Technology, Mingyang Semiconductor, GaN Future, and Yunga Semiconductor, injecting rich industrial practice perspectives into the white paper.
This article is published by [Expert Talk on Third-Generation Semiconductors], focusing on industry observations of third-generation semiconductors (SiC and GaN).