HELLA enters high-voltage market for power electronics with major customer order

HELLA, the automotive supplier operating under the FORVIA umbrella brand, is entering the market for high-voltage power electronics with a large-volume customer nomination from a German premium manufacturer. In this context, HELLA has now been commissioned with the series development of a voltage converter in the high-voltage range. This is to be rolled out to the manufacturer’s full e-vehicle platform. Additionally, it is to be integrated into a plug-in hybrid. In total, the customer project currently covers ten different vehicle series. The order volume is in the low to mid three-digit million euro range; start of series production is planned for mid-2025.

“HELLA has already been actively promoting the electrification of vehicles for years. More than five years ago, for example, we successfully brought a battery management system for fully electric vehicles into series production. At the same time, we are the world market leader in 48-volt DC/DC voltage converters,” says Björn Twiehaus, Managing Director Electronics at HELLA. “Since we are now successfully transferring these core competencies to high-voltage power electronics, we are further expanding our position as a leading supplier in the field of electromobility and opening up significant additional growth potential.”

Voltage converters connect the voltage classes of the different on-board networks in a vehicle with each other. In the context of the customer project that has now been acquired, the HELLA voltage converters are used in particular for the redundant power supply of components for automated driving as well as for other safety-relevant functionalities from the 400- or 800-volt on-board network. These include, for example, camera and radar sensors as well as steering control units. At the same time, the high-voltage voltage converter supplies the 12-volt battery, which is required in electric vehicles as well as plug-in hybrids for quiescent current and redundant power supply, among other things. The company’s first high-voltage voltage converter is being developed at HELLA’s corporate headquarters in Lippstadt which is the global competence center for high-voltage power electronics. The production site is the HELLA electronics plant in Recklinghausen, Germany.

About HELLA
HELLA is a listed, internationally positioned automotive supplier operating under the umbrella brand FORVIA. Within this factual group, HELLA stands for high-performance lighting technology and automotive electronics. At the same time, the company covers a broad service and product portfolio for the spare parts and workshop business as well as for manufacturers of special vehicles with its Business Group Lifecycle Solutions. HELLA has 36,000 employees at more than 125 locations worldwide and generated consolidated sales of € 6.3 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022.
About FORVIA

FORVIA comprises the complementary technology and industrial strengths of Faurecia and HELLA. With over 300 industrial sites and 77 R&D centers, 150,000 people, including more than 35,000 engineers across 40+ countries, FORVIA provides a unique and comprehensive approach to the automotive challenges of today and tomorrow. Composed of six Business Groups with 24 product lines, and a strong IP portfolio of over 14,000 patents, FORVIA is focused on becoming the preferred innovation and integration partner for OEMS worldwide. FORVIA aims to be a change maker committed to foreseeing and making the mobility transformation happen. www.forvia.com