Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Nio NIO Capital

NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker

Qingchun was founded in March 2021, and the core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for over 20 years, according to NIO Capital.

(Image credit: NIO Capital)

NIO Capital has invested in a local Chinese silicon carbide (SiC) chip maker as it continues to expand its investments in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain.

The company recently co-led a several hundred million yuan Series A+ round of financing for Qingchun Semiconductor (or SICHAIN), which will be used to improve the SiC chip maker's supply chain layout, expand its team and build mass production labs, according to a press release today.

Founded in March 2021, Qingchun's core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for more than 20 years and are one of the few companies in China currently capable of achieving world-class performance and reliability of SiC devices, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC chip maker is also one of the companies able to mass produce automotive SiC MOSFETs based on its production line in China, and its products have been used in new energy power generation and NEVs, according to the release.

Since its inception, Qingchun has made a series of significant advances in SiC device technology and product development, including the maturation of its 1200V SiC MOSFET platform technology and the mass production of multiple products.

The company launched the first 15V drive SiC MOSFET to be mass-produced in China, shipping nearly one million units to various industries, particularly photovoltaics and energy storage, according to the release.

Qingchun also launched the 1200V 14mΩ SiC MOSFET, which has the lowest on-resistance and is currently being validated by several vehicle companies, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC market is spacious and growing fast, with a wide range of application scenarios in areas such as NEVs, and Qingchun is one of the best startups in China for that, said Ian Zhu, managing partner of NIO Capital.

Earlier today, 's electric vehicle brand announced a long-term supply agreement with US chip maker Onsemi involving silicon carbide power devices.

Zeekr will use Onsemi's M3E 1200V EliteSiC MOSFET products to complement its expanding lineup of high-performance all-electric models, according to a press release.

The SiC module is an upgrade to the IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor chip) module, a third-generation power semiconductor with higher efficiency, higher temperature resistance and higher voltage characteristics.

The module will help upgrade the electrical architecture of NEVs from 400V to 800V and enable NEVs to charge from 0 to 80 percent in 10 minutes.

NIO Capital leads latest funding round in US-based suspension startup ClearMotion

The post NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Nio NIO Capital

NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker

Qingchun was founded in March 2021, and the core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for over 20 years, according to NIO Capital.

(Image credit: NIO Capital)

NIO Capital has invested in a local Chinese silicon carbide (SiC) chip maker as it continues to expand its investments in the new energy vehicle (NEV) industry chain.

The company recently co-led a several hundred million yuan Series A+ round of financing for Qingchun Semiconductor (or SICHAIN), which will be used to improve the SiC chip maker's supply chain layout, expand its team and build mass production labs, according to a press release today.

Founded in March 2021, Qingchun's core team members have been involved in SiC semiconductor technology for more than 20 years and are one of the few companies in China currently capable of achieving world-class performance and reliability of SiC devices, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC chip maker is also one of the companies able to mass produce automotive SiC MOSFETs based on its production line in China, and its products have been used in new energy power generation and NEVs, according to the release.

Since its inception, Qingchun has made a series of significant advances in SiC device technology and product development, including the maturation of its 1200V SiC MOSFET platform technology and the mass production of multiple products.

The company launched the first 15V drive SiC MOSFET to be mass-produced in China, shipping nearly one million units to various industries, particularly photovoltaics and energy storage, according to the release.

Qingchun also launched the 1200V 14mΩ SiC MOSFET, which has the lowest on-resistance and is currently being validated by several vehicle companies, according to NIO Capital.

The SiC market is spacious and growing fast, with a wide range of application scenarios in areas such as NEVs, and Qingchun is one of the best startups in China for that, said Ian Zhu, managing partner of NIO Capital.

Earlier today, 's electric vehicle brand announced a long-term supply agreement with US chip maker Onsemi involving silicon carbide power devices.

Zeekr will use Onsemi's M3E 1200V EliteSiC MOSFET products to complement its expanding lineup of high-performance all-electric models, according to a press release.

The SiC module is an upgrade to the IGBT (insulated gate bipolar transistor chip) module, a third-generation power semiconductor with higher efficiency, higher temperature resistance and higher voltage characteristics.

The module will help upgrade the electrical architecture of NEVs from 400V to 800V and enable NEVs to charge from 0 to 80 percent in 10 minutes.

NIO Capital leads latest funding round in US-based suspension startup ClearMotion

The post NIO Capital invests in Chinese SiC chip maker appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Deals Electric eMobility Enovate eV Fund Raising Industry News

Financially troubled Enovate reportedly close to getting life-saving money

Enovate has already owed its employees two months of salary arrears and its factory in Changsha, Hunan province, has shut down production this year, according to local media.

(Image from Enovate's Weibo)

Enovate Motors, the Chinese new energy vehicle (NEV) startup that announced late last year that it would build a production base in Saudi Arabia, is actually facing financial woes in its home market. However, the good news is that it is about to receive life-saving money.

Enovate is set to close a new round of funding in the near future, amounting to RMB 750 million yuan ($108 million), a report in local media Auto Time today said, citing multiple sources.

The money will arrive no later than March 24, one of the people familiar with the matter said. Another source with access to the financing said that it is indeed happening and that specific plans are being negotiated.

Enovate was formerly known as Zhejiang Dianka Automobile, which was founded in 2015 and produces mini electric vehicles (EVs). The Enovate brand was officially launched in November 2018.

In September 2020, the company's first model, the all-electric SUV Enovate ME7, was launched.

Enovate made its second model, the SUV Enovate ME5 with extended-range technology, available in China on July 13, 2021.

Enovate has closed eight financing rounds totaling more than RMB 11.5 billion, with the company's most recent financing round on October 13, 2020 for more than RMB 5 billion, Auto Time's report noted.

So far this year, Enovate has owed its employees two months of salary arrears, and its factory in Changsha, Hunan province, has shut down production this year, according to the report.

In addition to the Changsha manufacturing base, Enovate is also building factories in Shaoxing, Zhejiang and Nanning, Guangxi, with a planned total capacity of 220,000 units for the three production bases.

The money Enovate is about to receive will first be used for employee payroll and to push the plants back into production, the report said, citing an internal employee.

The company's performance in China has been weak over the past two years, with sales of just 1,778 units in 2021 and 5,321 units in 2022.

Enovate has begun targeting overseas markets as competition in its home market grows fiercer.

Enovate signed a contract with Sumou Holding in Saudi Arabia on December 7 to jointly build a NEV production plant here, as CnEVPost previously reported.

The two companies will form a joint venture that will make two phases of spending totaling about $500 million in Saudi Arabia to build a production and R&D base with an annual capacity of about 100,000 NEVs.

The facility, when completed, will be the first Chinese-branded NEV production base in Saudi Arabia, Enovate said at the time.

Enovate is another carmaker besides that has run into financial difficulties.

WM Motor has been in serious financial trouble, leading to disruptions in its operations over the past few months. On March 7, the company announced that it was addressing its challenges and was working hard to resume production.

WM Motor also has plans to enter Saudi Arabia, with an insider saying the company is planning a joint venture to set up a plant in the Middle East, according to an Auto Time report today.

The EV maker is currently in talks with the Saudi government and local wealth funds, and the exact timing of the plan is unknown, according to the report.

Chinese EV startup Enovate to build production base in Saudi Arabia with annual capacity of 100,000 units

The post Financially troubled Enovate reportedly close to getting life-saving money appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Nio NIO Capital Standard Robots

NIO Capital’s portfolio firm Standard Robots closes new financing

Standard Robots aims to use driverless, robotics and artificial intelligence technologies to create efficient and flexible logistics solutions to help manufacturing companies improve productivity.

The post NIO Capital's portfolio firm Standard Robots closes new financing appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Deals Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Industry News NIO Capital

NIO Capital invests in electric commercial vehicle maker Newrizon

Newrizon was founded in September 2020 by former NIO senior vice president Huang Chendong.

The post NIO Capital invests in electric commercial vehicle maker Newrizon appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.

Categories
China Electric eMobility eV Fund Raising Zeekr

Zeekr secures $750 million in Series A funding, bringing valuation to $13 billion

Zeekr filed a draft registration statement for a potential IPO with the SEC on December 7 on a confidential basis.

The post Zeekr secures $750 million in Series A funding, bringing valuation to $13 billion appeared first on CnEVPost.

For more articles, please visit CnEVPost.