High-efficiency drive: how onsemi’s EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET targets EV inverters

Onsemi’s EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET family sits at the heart of many next-generation electric vehicle inverters, promising higher efficiency, lower losses and more compact designs for automakers and Tier-1 suppliers focused on range and cost.

Edited by ad hoc news Flagship & Bestseller Desk. Reviewed before publication on 06/15/2026 at 9:57 AM ET. Details in the imprint.

Onsemi’s EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET family has become one of the company’s central building blocks for modern electric vehicle inverters, giving automakers a way to push efficiency and power density while keeping system costs under control. The silicon carbide devices are qualified for automotive use and designed to handle high voltages and fast switching, making them a fit for traction inverters in mainstream and premium EV platforms alike. According to the manufacturer, using EliteSiC MOSFETs in an 800 V drivetrain can reduce conduction and switching losses compared with insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) solutions, enabling smaller cooling systems and extending real-world range. Onsemi’s official product information highlights these efficiency gains in EV traction applications.

What the EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET family is designed to do

The EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET line covers a range of breakdown voltages and on-resistance values, allowing EV engineers to match device characteristics to inverter power levels from compact crossovers up to high-performance SUVs. Onsemi specifies fast switching speeds and low output capacitance, which help reduce switching losses at the high frequencies preferred in today’s compact inverter designs. Many parts in the family are available in discrete packages and as die for power modules, supporting both off-the-shelf inverters and custom designs from Tier-1 suppliers.

Automotive qualification is a core selling point. Selected EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFETs achieve AEC-Q101 qualification and are designed to comply with the temperature, reliability and ruggedness requirements of traction inverter environments, from cold starts in winter to sustained operation under full load on highways. Onsemi reports that its silicon carbide portfolio is built on an end-to-end manufacturing chain that spans substrate, epitaxy, device fabrication and module assembly, with the aim of ensuring supply stability for large EV programs. That vertical integration has been central to several multi-year supply agreements with global OEMs and inverter specialists, where guaranteed wafer volumes over multiple years are now a purchasing prerequisite.

From a performance perspective, designers typically compare silicon carbide MOSFETs with traditional silicon IGBTs or high-voltage MOSFETs when they sketch out a new inverter. EliteSiC 1200 V parts aim to deliver lower conduction losses at typical EV operating currents, in part thanks to optimized channel design and specific on-resistance levels that balance losses and cost. In practice, this can translate to smaller heat sinks, less aggressive cooling loops and the option to shrink the inverter enclosure, freeing up packaging space in tight underhood layouts. For carmakers chasing incremental range gains without adding battery capacity, shaving a few percentage points off inverter losses can be attractive.

The devices are also tuned for use in 800 V architectures that are increasingly common in new EV platforms for faster DC charging and thinner cabling. Onsemi positions EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFETs as a match for both 400 V and 800 V systems, but their voltage headroom and switching behavior are particularly relevant once DC-link voltages climb. In those settings, engineers can use higher PWM switching frequencies to reduce the size of inductors and capacitors, leaning on the MOSFETs’ fast turn-on and turn-off characteristics to avoid excessive switching loss. This balance between electrical performance and thermal behavior is where silicon carbide devices tend to distinguish themselves from conventional silicon solutions, particularly in high-power long-distance vehicles.

Beyond passenger cars, the same 1200 V EliteSiC devices are targeting commercial vehicles, buses and off-highway equipment, where higher power levels and long duty cycles magnify the efficiency gains. Onsemi points out that silicon carbide traction inverters can help fleet operators reduce total cost of ownership by cutting energy consumption over hundreds of thousands of miles. For industrial customers, the family can also be used in high-power motor drives, renewable energy inverters and fast chargers, although traction remains the lead application in much of the company’s marketing material. Industry test reports and teardown analyses increasingly identify onsemi silicon carbide components inside inverters from multiple global car brands, underlining how central this product line has become in the company’s power portfolio. Industry coverage from technical publications has repeatedly emphasized the role of 1200 V SiC MOSFETs in enabling compact EV inverters.

For investors and engineers alike, a key question is how EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFETs sit within onsemi’s broader strategy. The company has streamlined its portfolio around intelligent power and sensing, with silicon carbide as a growth pillar thanks to EV, renewable and industrial demand. Management has highlighted multi-billion-dollar long-term supply agreements with major automakers and Tier-1 suppliers that specifically call out silicon carbide devices, suggesting that the EliteSiC family is expected to underpin a sizable share of power segment revenue over the next several years. On the operations side, onsemi has been expanding silicon carbide crystal growth and device manufacturing capacity in the US and Europe to meet that demand, while also optimizing yields to improve gross margins.

Onsemi, which trades publicly on NASDAQ, connects the success of its EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET line directly with its push into higher-margin power solutions for EVs and energy infrastructure. Shares of ON Semiconductor (ISIN US6821891035) traded on NASDAQ at $71.94 on 06/14/2026, reflecting how closely the market is watching execution on its silicon carbide roadmap and long-term supply commitments. Recent NASDAQ market data show ON’s price and volume development in the context of broader semiconductor sector moves.

Onsemi EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET in brief

• Product: EliteSiC 1200 V MOSFET family
• Manufacturer: ON Semiconductor Corporation
• Category: Flagship power semiconductor (EV traction inverter)
• Launch date: Gradually introduced over recent years as part of the EliteSiC portfolio, with ongoing line extensions
• MSRP / Price: Not publicly listed; pricing typically negotiated per volume for automotive customers
• Availability: Supplied directly to automotive OEMs and Tier-1 inverter manufacturers; selected devices available through specialized distributors
• Target audience: Automotive and industrial engineers designing high-voltage inverters, motor drives and fast-charging systems
• Key differentiator / USP: Automotive-qualified 1200 V silicon carbide MOSFET platform focused on efficiency and power density in EV traction inverters

This article was a.i.-assisted and editorially reviewed. Product information without warranty; prices and availability may change at short notice. Not investment advice and not a buy or sell recommendation. Trading involves risk up to and including the total loss of invested capital.