BYD said to seek external IGBT supplies as semiconductor unit facing tight capacity

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- BYD has placed an order worth over 100 million yuan ($15.762 million) to Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd. (Silan), a Chinese semiconductor manufacturer, for automotive-grade IGBTs (insulated gate bipolar transistors), according to a local media outlet, citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.

Photo credit: BYD Semiconductor

BYD's IGBTs are mainly supplied by the company's self-owned semiconductor unit, BYD Semiconductor. According to an IPO application document updated earlier this month, the businesses related to BYD group accounted for 67.88%, 54.86%, 59.02%, and 54.24% of BYD Semiconductor's annual sales in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021.

BYD Semiconductor output about 1.1052 million power semiconductor modules in the first half of 2021, with a capacity utilization rate of up to 85.02%.

BYD seeks external supplies as BYD Semiconductor's capacity remains tight, while also resulting from the semiconductor unit's plan to shrink the percentage of the businesses related to its parent, a person familiar with the matter said.

Aside from Silan, BYD also made IGBT orders to other suppliers including StarPower Semiconductor, Zhuzhou CRRC Times Electric, and CR MICRO.

BYD is posting rapid sales growth, which must be supported by sufficient IGBT supplies. The automaker saw its new vehicle sales surge 216.97% year on year to 509,838 units during the first 11 months of 2021.