For CNY5 billion (US$774.8 million), BYD Semiconductor, a subsidiary of the Chinese automaker BYD, purchased a 77.75% share in Jinan Energen Semiconductor. Power devices made by Energen are made of silicon (Si) and silicon carbide (SiC).
Tesla uses SiC power chips more and more in its battery-powered vehicles. According to industry sources, the market was speculating about the possibility of Foxconn, a Taiwanese EMS provider that indirectly invested in Energen Semi during the latter’s initial establishment in 2018 and has been actively deploying businesses in the Si and SiC power chips fields, acquiring Energen Semi.
Considering that BYD purchased Energen, future partnerships between Foxconn and Energen do not appear feasible, despite the fact that Foxconn has been making inroads into China’s electric vehicle (EV) market.
In the first of its three phases, Energen invested CNY6 billion in constructing fabs. Si and third-generation semiconductor devices will be produced by the company for use in data-processing, automotive, consumer, renewable energy, and communications applications.
