MUNICH -- Siemens is leading a joint industry-academia program to develop a new ceramic printed circuit board that will be integrated into the power supplies of electric vehicles.

The project members, which also include ContiTemic, Curamik Electronics, Via electronic, the Fraunhofer Institute and the University of Erlangen, seek to combine ceramic power electronics PCBs containing HTCCs with control electronics that use LTCCs. Components will be printed on both sides of the boards, reports said.

As part of the project, the consortium will develop a high voltage electricity and signal transmission system between the PCBs, then integrate the power electronics precisely where they are used. The goal is to reduce or eliminate various cables and housings, thus cutting cost and weight and improving efficiency and reliability.

Integrating ceramics and a cooling system into the boards will increase thermal stability of the electronic systems, according to reports.

The project is funded by Germany’s Ministry of Education and Research.