Skyworks Solutions, an innovator of high-performance analog and mixed-signal semiconductors connecting people, places and things, at PCIM 2026 unveiled its new Si829x isolated safety gate driver for electric vehicle (EV) traction inverters and other electrified systems, including eTrucking, industrial motor drives and emerging mobility platforms. Held annually in Nuremberg, Germany, PCIM Expo is the leading global event for power electronics and energy management technologies.
Developed according to ISO 26262 functional safety standards, the Si829x is suitable for use in functional safety systems rated up to ASIL D, delivering the robustness required for next-generation EV traction inverters. Its integrated protection features include an extensive diagnostic fault coverage, notification and management, a comprehensive safety mechanism including power-up self-checks and safe state enforcement and a globally certified isolation technology for enhanced safety and reliability. With applications in battery electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, eTrucking, eAgriculture and exciting new segments like robotaxis and electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) aircraft, Si829x is a comprehensive choice among isolated gate drivers for advanced propulsion systems.
Unlike conventional voltage-mode gate drivers, the Si829x uses ProVCD, Skyworks’ second-generation variable current drive, with high resolution gate waveform shaping and cycle-by-cycle control through a digital interface. This approach enables reduced switching losses up to 44% compared with the voltage mode, improves thermal efficiency through multiple packaging options, mitigates electromagnetic interference (EMI) and filtering requirements, while offering a precise 15 A 3-phase turn-on and turn-off current waveform control in a smaller PCB footprint and system-level cost savings. Together, these benefits allow manufacturers to increase inverter efficiency while simplifying system design and accelerating development cycles.
“As EV platforms scale globally, automakers face increasing pressure to improve efficiency and integrate advanced features while also lowering system cost,” said Mario Battello, vice president of product line management at Skyworks. “The Si829x introduces a new class of gate driver technology that can enable all of these. By allowing customers to standardize inverter designs across multiple platforms while optimizing performance through software, we believe this solution can help optimize EV drivetrains and improve system-level economics.” The Si829x is designed as a configurable platform, allowing engineers to adjust gate drive parameters through software rather than fixed hardware components. This supports design reuse across multiple vehicle platforms, faster development and validation cycles, greater flexibility to optimize performance, efficiency, or cost and a vendor-agnostic compatibility across power semiconductor technologies.
By supporting both SiC FETs and IGBTs within a single gate driver platform that integrates a VPOS regulator to provide bipolar gate drive voltages, eliminating an external negative gate bias supply, the solution helps customers streamline design efforts and reduce time to production. At PCIM Expo 2026 Hall 4A, Stand 328, Skyworks showcased the Si829x in interactive demonstrations highlighting real-time inverter optimization across EV driving and charging scenarios. These demonstrations illustrated how current-mode gate control can improve efficiency, reduce system complexity and enable flexible inverter design. Si829x production is planned for the end of July 2026.
Click here to learn more about the Si829x.
