Federal funding will back Bosch’s $2 billion plan to produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers for EVs and other high-power semiconductor applications.
German engineering giant Bosch has been awarded up to $225 million under the U.S. CHIPS and Science Act to expand silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor manufacturing at its facility in Roseville, California.
The federal support forms part of Bosch’s planned $2 billion investment to upgrade the nearly four-decade-old site into a state-of-the-art semiconductor manufacturing facility. The company is transitioning the fab to produce 200mm silicon carbide wafers and plans to introduce next-generation, third-generation SiC devices in the near future.
Paul Thomas, President and CEO of Bosch North America, said the funding reinforces the company’s commitment to strengthening semiconductor production in the United States. He noted that manufacturing SiC chips locally will improve supply chain resilience while drawing on the expertise of the U.S. workforce to accelerate the availability of advanced power semiconductors.
To support production, Bosch has built a new cleanroom and deployed advanced manufacturing equipment specifically designed for silicon carbide chip fabrication.
Silicon carbide semiconductors are becoming increasingly important for electric vehicles and other high-power applications due to their ability to operate efficiently at high voltages, elevated temperatures, and faster switching frequencies than conventional silicon devices. These characteristics help improve vehicle range, enable faster charging, and enhance the overall efficiency of battery-electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles.
Bosch entered the Roseville semiconductor manufacturing business through the acquisition of an existing wafer fabrication facility, announced in April 2023 and completed in August 2023. Since then, the company has been modernizing the site while retaining its workforce and expanding employee training through its global manufacturing network.
The investment is part of broader U.S. efforts to strengthen domestic semiconductor production, reduce dependence on overseas supply chains, and expand manufacturing capacity for critical power semiconductor technologies that support the growing electric mobility sector.
