Nio and the Phoenix-based chipmaker Onsemi have expanded their supply deal to deploy the latest generation of silicon carbide power technology across the Chinese EV maker’s new platform.
Onsemi will supply its EliteSiC M3e MOSFET technology to support Nio‘s transition to a 900-volt high-voltage architecture, with the technology set to debut across the upcoming ES9 flagship SUV and additional Nio models.
The expanded collaboration formalizes a multi-year supplier relationship that began exactly four years ago, when Nio selected Onsemi’s VE-Trac Direct silicon carbide power modules for use in its next-generation electric powertrains.
“Onsemi convinced us with the high performance and reliability of its products as well as the excellent support from its engineering and management team,” Nio said in the 2022 announcement.
The new agreement upgrades the relationship to Onsemi’s third-generation EliteSiC M3e platform and extends the partnership across Nio‘s broader vehicle lineup as the company moves to 900-volt architecture as the new standard.
What the Technology Delivers
The EliteSiC M3e platform — Onsemi’s third-generation silicon carbide MOSFET — is designed to reduce energy losses in EV traction inverters, the components that convert direct current from the battery into the alternating current that drives electric motors.
According to Onsemi, the M3e generation reduces conduction losses by 30% and turn-off losses by up to 50% compared with the prior generation. The improvements translate into longer driving range, faster charging speeds, and stronger acceleration without increasing battery size — the central engineering challenge facing 900-volt platform development.
For Nio, the move to 900 volts is a step change as higher operating voltage allows the same power output to be delivered at lower current while also enabling ultra-fast charging at rates well above what 400-volt systems can support.
Nio‘s existing 900-volt platform, the Thunder Electric Drive System, was first introduced in March 2024 with the company’s flagship ET9 sedan, deliveries of which began in March 2025.
The ET9 uses 1200-volt silicon carbide power modules with a power density of 1,315 kilowatts per liter — figures the carmaker has cited as the highest in the industry for a mass-produced vehicle.
ES9 as the Next Application
The expanded deal is positioned to support Nio‘s flagship ES9 SUV, which begins customer deliveries on June 1.
The ES9 uses a full-domain 900-volt high-voltage architecture, drawing power from a 102-kilowatt-hour ternary lithium-ion battery supplied by CATL — the world’s largest battery maker.
The system delivers a CLTC-rated range of up to 635 kilometers and supports ultra-fast charging that can add 255 kilometers of range in five minutes when paired with Nio‘s 600-kilowatt chargers.
As seen across all the other Nio models, the ES9 drivers can also opt for swapping the vehicle’s battery if purchasing the vehicle via the company’s Battery as a Service (BaaS) program.
A Bigger Bet for Onsemi
Onsemi signed a separate long-term silicon carbide supply agreement with Geely’s Zeekr brand in April 2023 covering 1200-volt EliteSiC M3e MOSFETs for the carmaker’s premium EV powertrains.
Exactly three years ago, the company announced a 10-year, $1.9 billion silicon carbide supply agreement with Vitesco Technologies, with the German automotive supplier providing a $250 million investment in Onsemi’s manufacturing capacity.
Onsemi has also signed multi-year supply agreements with Volkswagen Group for its SSP platform and with Schaeffler for plug-in hybrid traction inverters.
In its Q4 2025 results released in February, Onsemi reported automotive segment revenue of $798 million and an automotive design funnel for zonal-architecture products exceeding $400 million.
The company has guided Q1 2026 revenue of $1.44 billion to $1.54 billion, with the result scheduled for May 4.
Stock Performance
Nio shares closed at approximately $6.20 on Friday, with the company trading at a market capitalization of around $15.6 billion.
Vehicle deliveries in the first quarter of the year reached 83,465 units, a 98.3% year-over-year increase that exceeded the upper end of management’s guidance.
The company is scheduled to report first-quarter results in late May.
