The iX3 was the first Neue Klasse model to bring BMW’s 800V, silicon-carbide-equipped powertrain into series production
(Image courtesy of ROHM Semiconductor)
ROHM Semiconductor says its silicon carbide MOSFETs now sit inside the power electronics of BMW’s Neue Klasse Gen6 electric vehicles, a supplier relationship the company confirmed in September 2026. Neue Klasse is BMW’s sixth-generation electric architecture. Its first production model, the iX3, has already picked up the 2026 World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle awards.
ROHM confirms its Neue Klasse silicon carbide role
ROHM designed the chips to cut energy losses under demanding operating conditions, the company says. They also support power electronics functions within the Neue Klasse powertrain. Wolfram Harnack, ROHM’s president, called the integration proof of the company’s expertise in automotive power electronics. Neither company detailed exact volumes or a start-of-production timeline for individual models.
Why the Neue Klasse’s 800V system needs silicon carbide
BMW redesigned its Gen6 inverter specifically for the platform’s new 800V architecture. That redesign incorporated silicon carbide semiconductors, industry reporting on the platform confirms. BMW says Gen6 technology cuts overall energy losses by 40% against the outgoing Gen5 system. It also delivers 30% faster charging and a 30% increase in range, with certain models exceeding that figure.
Silicon carbide’s wider bandgap lets it switch at higher frequencies than the silicon IGBTs it replaces, cutting switching losses in the process. That generates less heat and eases the load on the powertrain’s cooling systems. BMW’s figures describe gains for the Gen6 platform as a whole, not the contribution of any single component supplier.
A production platform already proven in the market
The iX3 is the first production Neue Klasse model, and it already carries the 800V architecture into series production. BMW cites a WLTP-rated range of up to 805 kilometres for the model. It also cites a peak charging rate of 400 kW, enough to take the battery from 10% to 80% in 21 minutes.
The car went on to win the 2026 World Car of the Year and World Electric Vehicle titles that April. A 98-journalist jury made the call. The win gives the platform an independent market result to sit alongside its specification sheet. It also hands the wider SiC supply chain a production-verified case study of where automotive design wins actually land.
Neither company has said whether the arrangement extends beyond the current Neue Klasse generation. BMW has said Gen6 eDrive technology will reach its full electric line-up beyond Neue Klasse. That points to where a supplier’s presence in the platform could matter most as further models reach production.
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