Ampere, the intelligent electric EV pure player born from Renault Group and STMicroelectronics, a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, today announced the next step in their strategic co-operation, starting in 2026, with a multi-year agreement between STMicroelectronics and Renault Group on the supply of Silicon Carbide (SiC) power modules, as part of their collaboration on a powerbox for the inverter for Ampere's ultra-efficient electric powertrain. Ampere and STMicroelectronics worked together on the optimization of the power module, the key element in the powerbox, to get the highest performance and best competitiveness in the e-powertrain, leveraging Ampere's expertise in EV technology and STMicroelectronics' expertise in advanced power electronics."This agreement is the result of the intensive work carried out with STMicroelectronics. By working upstream together, we were able to optimize and secure the supply of key components for our electric powertrains, to offer high-performance EVs with increased range and optimized charging time. It perfectly aligns with Ampere's strategy to master the entire value chain of power electronics for its e-powertrain, leveraging STMicroelectronics' expertise in power modules," said Philippe Brunet, SVP of Powertrain & EV engineering, Ampere."ST is at the cutting edge of the development of advanced power electronics enabling the mobility industry to improve the performance of electrified platforms. With the optimization of these higher-efficient products and solutions to meet Ampere's performance requirements, and our vertically integrated silicon carbide supply chain, we are supporting Ampere's strategy for its next generation of electric powertrain," said Michael Anfang, Executive Vice President Sales & Marketing, Europe, Middle East and Africa Region, STMicroelectronics. "ST and Ampere share a common vision for more sustainable mobility and this agreement marks another step forward in improved power performance to further contribute to concrete improvements to carbon emissions reduction by the mobility industry and its supply chain."Power modules, composed of numerous silicon carbide chips, manage and convert electrical power from the battery to drive the electric motor. They play a crucial role in the efficiency of the electric powertrain and battery range, as well as energy regeneration features, making them a key element of the efficiency of an electric car. They also contribute to the smoothness and responsiveness of driving.STMicroelectronics and Ampere have collaborated on a powerbox for the supply of energy to Ampere's new generation of electric motors. The powerbox is designed for optimum performance-size ratio across Ampere's line-up, on 400 Volt battery EVs and for Segment C-EVs with 800 Volt batteries, enabling greater autonomy and faster charging. 800 Volts is one of the key levers to achieve the 10%-80% quick charge in 15 minutes or less. This agreement is fully aligned with Ampere's strategy to master the entire value chain of the electric vehicle, particularly by working further upstream with its partners and ensuring the best efficiency at each step.As an integrated device manufacturer (IDM), STMicroelectronics ensures the quality and security of supply to serve carmakers' strategies for electrification. The collaboration with Ampere on the silicon carbide power modules and powerbox demonstrates STMicroelectronics' leadership and system-level experience in advanced power electronics, including its packaging expertise.Additional Technical InformationThe powerbox combines three SiC-based power modules, an excitation module, which provides the necessary electrical excitation to the motor or generator for controlling the magnetic field within the motor, and a cooling baseplate designed to dissipate heat from the back side of the power module, simplifying the thermal management and cooling process.

Taiwan is a global leader in the information and communications technology (ICT) industry, boasting the world's highest output value in semiconductor foundry and IC packaging and testing. Taoyuan, in particular, plays a pivotal role, accounting for 90% of the shipments of high-end AI servers. Its diversified industrial clusters encompass intelligent medical technology, aerospace, the Internet of Things (IoT), and smart logistics, creating a robust and well-integrated supply chain for the AI industry.Taoyuan's strategic geographic location, coupled with its advanced shipping, maritime transportation, and outbound road network, has made it a hub for cross-border logistics carriers. This infrastructure has attracted investments from global industry leaders such as Microsoft, Supermicro, and aircraft parts supplier NORDAM. Notably, half of NVIDIA's 43 key suppliers are based in Taoyuan, contributing critical technologies and components to the global production of AI servers.The city's logistics and transportation capabilities have been further enhanced by the adoption of intelligent logistics technologies, significantly impacting the global semiconductor supply chain. This integration of cutting-edge equipment and expertise has solidified Taoyuan's position as a globally competitive industrial powerhouse.Taiwan's Leading Logistics Hub Driving the AI Supply ChainTaoyuan is close to major ports such as the Port of Taipei and has the only international airport in Taiwan that allows for express customs clearance, the highest density of warehousing and logistics in the nation, and a logistics and transportation system that leads the way in terms of international competitiveness.As the location of the Farglory Free Trade Port Zone, Taoyuan, as the world's first multi-functional "within and outside the border" free trade port zone, provides 24-hour logistics, cold chain, and aviation and other integrated services, and has a cargo terminal, a value-added park, and warehousing and office buildings, With the cargo terminal, value-added park, warehousing, and office buildings, air cargo express warehouse, cold chain logistics zone and integrated international logistics center, enterprises in the park can engage in simple processing, deep processing and 19 types of value-added operations, and they can also enjoy a number of preferential measures, such as convenient customs clearance, preferential taxation and more flexible hiring ratios of foreign workers, etc.The combination of the Aviation City and the neighboring industrial zones to form a "front store, back factory" and "inbound and outbound" mode of operation facilitates the speedy operation of air cargo and global logistics integration. This facilitates the rapid operation of air cargo transportation and the integration of global logistics, which helps the resident manufacturers to integrate their production and upstream and downstream supply chains and has gradually become a popular choice for the investment layout of internationally renowned manufacturers in recent years. For example, ASML has chosen Taoyuan as its logistics base in the Asia-Pacific region because of its proximity to the semiconductor bases in Hsinchu, Taichung, and Tainan, as well as its advantageous transportation location that can easily support the semiconductor clusters in Kumamoto, Japan, and Gyeonggi-Do, South Korea.To expand its logistic network in Taiwan, Coupang will open two large-scale logistics centers in the Evergreen Dayuan logistics park in 2022 and 2023. DHL will move into the International Logistics Park in Taoyuan in 2024 in order to expand its business layout and meet the needs of the semiconductor and medical industries, demonstrating that international logistics giants attach great importance to Taoyuan's transportation and logistics system.In addition, the Taoyuan Airpark Free Trade Zone can also engage in trading, customs clearance, assembly, processing, manufacturing, inspection, and testing. There are 19 businesses which also enjoy exemption from customs duties and goods taxes, etc. Whether it is upstream chips and embedded components, midstream industrial computers, communications equipment, and server components, to cloud, IoT solutions, etc. in the downstream, enterprises will benefit from Taoyuan's logistics and transportation system, which will enhance the global competitiveness of the domestic import and export-related industries.

MicroEJ, a global leader in embedded software solutions, is introducing VEE Wear 2, the newest version of its Wearable OS, designed to set new standards in battery efficiency, customization, and health tracking for wearables. Building on a year of market insights and customer feedback, the second generation of VEE Wear offers up to 3x the battery life of competing solutions, enabling manufacturers to develop differentiated, feature-rich smartwatches for all market segments—from entry-level to premium models—without relying on resource-heavy operating systems.Leveraging partnerships with Polar, LifeQ, B-Secur, Facer, as well as NXP Semiconductors, Qualcomm, and others, VEE Wear 2 introduces new health and fitness tracking capabilities, audio enhancements, a complete development framework, and a scalable app ecosystem with hundreds of thousands of watch faces. Together, these elements turn marketing innovation into products at a much faster pace, for consumer-focused devices." VEE Wear 2 is built for watch makers and tens of thousands of UX and App designers, seamlessly bridging the real and digital worlds of wearables", said Dr. Fred Rivard, CEO of MicroEJ. "By disrupting what's possible in the smartwatch market—particularly with extended battery life, optimized size, Android-compatible tools and support from technology partners - we've removed many technical barriers for manufacturer. This allows them to focus on branding, innovation, and delivering standout products that meet the aspirations of their end users."Unparalleled Battery LifeBattery performance is essential as consumers expect more from their smartwatches without needing frequent recharging, while also wanting sleek designs that can't accommodate large batteries. By running on low-power and cost-effective microcontrollers and through intelligent task distribution and adaptive power management, VEE Wear 2 enables mid-range RTOS smartwatches to achieve up to 40 days of battery life, and high-end Android-based models to deliver up to 3 days on a single charge, even with advanced features like GPS and health monitoring.A New Era of Health Monitoring, Fitness Tracking, and AR in WearablesIn partnership with B-Secur, whose FDA-cleared ECG technology powers advanced cardiac insights, and LifeQ, VEE Wear integrates medical-grade health monitoring, from ECG analysis and sleep tracking to insights based on over 150 physiological biomarkers. The incorporation of Polar's suite of 25 proprietary algorithms, backed by 40+ years of scientific research, further elevates fitness-tracking capabilities, enabling athlete-level monitoring and coaching. Additionally, the integration of ActiveLook's AR technology brings real-time, hands-free data directly into the user's line of sight during sports and fitness activities, offering a transformative experience without compromising battery performance.Pioneering Customization and Brand IdentityWith this new release, VEE Wear stands out in the market with its comprehensive customization options, from UX/UI design to sensor integration. With customizable APIs, manufacturers can integrate advanced features such as audio, health metrics, GPS, and notifications with ease. Tight integration with Facer provides over 500,000 unique watch faces in VEE Wear, allowing brands to offer consumers extensive personalization options. Built-in simulation tools and a complete development framework accelerate the design process, empowering manufacturers to bring high-impact products to market faster, without the constraints of closed ecosystems.Enabling Continuous Innovation with a Scalable App EcosystemWith its scalable application ecosystem, VEE Wear enables brands to create fully branded smartwatches, establish their own app stores, and expand revenue opportunities. This adaptable framework allows for continuous innovation, supporting seamless updates and new features to enhance the user experience over time.Explore VEE Wear 2 and its revolutionary advancements at CES 2025 from January 7-10 at the Venetian Expo, Booth #52823. For more information, download the product brief or visit https://www.microej.com/product/veewear.Disrupting Smartwatch OS Offers Advanced Health Tracking, Endless Customization Capabilities, and Ultra-Low Power Performance