How Emerging Technologies (EV, IoT, 5G) Shape Demand for Specific Components — What Buyers Should Watch

Emerging technologies such as EV, IoT, and 5G are reshaping electronics procurement, with skyrocketing demand for power-efficient chips and high-frequency materials. Engineers and buyers must track these shifts to secure EV components, IoT electronics, and 5G-ready PCBs amid global growth forecasts.

EV Components: Powering the Electrification Surge

Electric vehicles require specialized EV components like silicon carbide (SiC) power modules and advanced battery management systems (BMS) to handle high voltages and fast charging. The global EV component market is projected to reach $192.1 billion in 2025, growing at 18.5% CAGR to $885.1 billion by 2034, driven by 800V architectures.

Critical EV Components in Demand

• SiC and Gallium Nitride (GaN) Semiconductors: Superior efficiency over silicon IGBTs; 20.1% CAGR growth.
• Traction Inverters: Higher power density with 19.6% growth.
• Battery Management Systems (BMS): Monitor cell health, precise sensors and MCUs prevent thermal runaway.
• Power Modules (IGBT/SiC): Convert DC-AC for motors; SiC cuts losses by 50% in EV designs.
• Onboard Chargers: GaN-based for Level 2/3, supporting 350 kW peaks.

Procurement specialists should watch cell-to-chassis (CTC) integration, lightweight materials, and ADAS chips, which increase demand for automotive-grade PCBs.

IoT Electronics: Edge Computing and Connectivity Boom

IoT electronics are booming, with billions of nodes needing low-power microcontrollers, sensors, and wireless modules for smart homes, factories, and wearables. Edge computing increases demand for embedded processors and secure memory.

Essential Components for IoT Devices

• Microcontrollers: ARM Cortex-M or ESP32, integrating CPU, RAM, and peripherals.
• Sensors: Temperature, motion, humidity for real-time monitoring.
• Wireless Modules: BLE, Wi-Fi 6, LoRa for low-energy links; NB-IoT for cellular coverage.
• Power Management ICs: Ultra-low quiescent current for extended battery life.
• Security Chips: Hardware encryption for medical/industrial applications.

5G-Ready PCB: High-Frequency and RF Demands

5G-ready PCBs are required for base stations, smartphones, and antennas, needing low-loss materials such as Rogers substrates for mmWave (24–71 GHz). RF front-end (RFFE) modules—PAs, LNAs, filters—continue to grow, supporting higher bandwidth and miniaturization.

PCB and RF Components for 5G

• Phased Array Antennas & Beamforming: Multilayer PCBs with tight tolerances (<0.1 mm).
• RF Front-End (RFFE): Duplexers and filters for 600 MHz–71 GHz, reduce interference.
• High-Frequency Laminates: PTFE-based materials for <1 dB loss at 28 GHz.
• Power Amplifiers: GaN devices handle 20 Gbps peaks for base stations.
• Thermal Management: Heat sinks prevent breakdown in dense active antenna units (AAUs).

Miniaturization increases NAND memory needs (e.g., doubling to 142 GB in smartphones) and amplifies passive component requirements.

Supply Chain Challenges and Procurement Strategies

Emerging tech components face shortages: SiC lead times stretch 50+ weeks, IoT MCUs bottleneck due to silicon fab capacity, and geopolitical tensions affect raw materials like lithium and cobalt.

What Buyers Should Watch

• Diversify suppliers and stock 6–12 months for critical EV components (SiC, GaN).
• Monitor certifications (e.g., AEC-Q100 for automotive).
• Track lead times via distributor portals.
• Consider alternative sources (hybrid Si/GaN) for cost flexibility.
• Adopt sustainable materials in 5G-ready PCBs to reduce environmental impact.
• Focus on reliability standards for AVs and remote monitoring systems.

Conclusion

Emerging technologies (EV, IoT, 5G) are driving strategic component demand. Prioritizing SiC for EVs, low-power IoT electronics, and high-frequency 5G-ready PCBs positions teams ahead. Download our free emerging tech components guide or contact us for supply chain audits. Related reading: Connector Selection Guide.