News: Microelectronics
14 October 2026
AVL and VisIC extend collaboration to high-power GaN traction inverter technology
VisIC Technologies Ltd of Ness Ziona, Israel — a fabless supplier of power conversion devices based on gallium nitride (GaN) transistors — and mobility technology company AVL are advancing their collaboration with the integration of VisIC’s D3GaN power module technology into AVL’s vehicle demonstrator.
The vehicle provides a real-world development platform for evaluating next-generation electric propulsion technologies and demonstrates the potential of high-power GaN in one of the most demanding EV applications: the traction inverter. Evaluated under demanding conditions for power electronics, the demonstrator combines a high-speed e-axle, advanced power electronics and vehicle control technologies, with a GaN traction inverter using VisIC power modules. The overall project brings together technology from AVL, NXP Semiconductors and VisIC.
The program marks a step in the evolution of GaN for electric mobility, moving VisIC's D3GaN technology from laboratory and dynamometer testing into a fully operational vehicle platform.
From record efficiency to a complete vehicle
The demonstrator builds on collaboration between AVL and VisIC started in 2024. In earlier Dyno WLTC testing at AVL facilities in Germany, an inverter based on VisIC’s GaN-on-silicon D3GaN technology achieved 99.67% efficiency at 10kHz and more than 99.8% at 5kHz on AVL’s e-motor test bench. The companies reported an improvement compared with comparable silicon carbide SiC inverters and a reduction of inverter energy losses of more than 60% under the tested conditions.
The inverter development used VisIC’s D3GaN technology, an NXP driver, AVL’s PI850e Inverter Development Platform and AVL control software.
Integration into the vehicle demonstrator now enables the technology to be evaluated within a complete electric drivetrain environment and illustrates how the efficiency advantages of GaN can translate from semiconductor and inverter performance into vehicle-level benefits.
GaN in real-world mobility
EV traction inverters operate across a wide range of speed, torque and load conditions. VisIC’s D3GaN technology is designed to combine low switching and conduction losses with high power density for high-power automotive applications.
The benefits can be particularly important during partial-load operation where reducing switching losses can improve inverter efficiency and reduce cooling requirements. Existing 400V battery technology is especially attractive for PHEV and Range extended HEV cars. At the vehicle level, this creates the potential for a more compact power electronics system, improved drivetrain efficiency and increased driving range.
The AVL demonstrator therefore provides more than a showcase of peak efficiency, says VisIC. It illustrates how GaN technology can operate as part of a complete high-performance EV drivetrain.
Automotive-evaluated GaN for AIDC and physical AI power
Evaluated in the demanding automotive environment, VisIC’s D3GaN platform delivers the efficiency, power density and reliability required for next-generation power conversion. These same capabilities make the platform an excellent fit for AIDC infrastructure, where rapidly growing AI workloads require compact, highly efficient and scalable power supplies with lower energy losses and reduced cooling demand.
The platform is equally well suited to physical AI applications — including robotics, autonomous systems and intelligent industrial equipment — where power electronics must combine fast dynamic response, high efficiency, compact size and dependable operation under demanding conditions. Automotive validation therefore provides a strong foundation for deploying D3GaN across the emerging AI power ecosystem.
“Bringing D3GaN from the test bench into a fully operational vehicle is an important milestone for high-power GaN,” says VisIC’s CEO Tamara Baksht. “The AVL demonstrator shows that GaN is no longer limited to discussing future potential. We can demonstrate the technology in the traction inverter of a real electric vehicle and show automotive manufacturers what higher efficiency, lower losses and higher power density can mean at system level,” she adds.
“Integrating a GaN traction inverter into a vehicle demonstrator is an important step in understanding the opportunities and challenges of bringing this technology into future automotive applications,” says Mathias Deiml, technical lead GaN Inverter Development, AVL Software and Functions. “The project combines semiconductor innovation with system-level development expertise and allows to push forward the state of the art regarding efficiency and advanced functionality,” he adds.
“This project demonstrates how strong collaboration can accelerate the development of emerging technologies for e-mobility,” says Dr Thomas Frey, head of Segment E-Mobility & E-Drive System, AVL Software and Functions. “By combining VisIC’s semiconductor expertise with AVL’s capabilities in inverter development and vehicle integration, we have established a platform for assessing the future potential of GaN technology in electric powertrains.”
Building toward 800V GaN
The collaboration between AVL and VisIC is also intended to support the development of scalable GaN solutions for future EV architectures. The companies previously announced plans to extend the GaN-on-silicon platform toward 800V GaN power modules, addressing the growing adoption of higher-voltage battery and drivetrain systems.
VisIC’s GaN-on-silicon approach also provides a potential manufacturing scalability advantage because the technology can leverage established silicon semiconductor manufacturing infrastructure. The companies have previously highlighted compatibility with 200mm and 300mm silicon foundries as part of the technology's path toward high-volume production.
With the AVL vehicle demonstrator, the companies say that they are taking another step toward bringing high-power GaN into mainstream electric propulsion, demonstrating that GaN has the potential to become a practical alternative for the next generation of EV traction inverters.
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