STMicroelectronics updates battery-management chip for EVs and energy storage

By AI, Created 12:35 PM UTC, May 21, 2026, /AGP/ – STMicroelectronics has introduced the L9963F, an enhanced battery-management IC for hybrid and electric vehicles, industrial storage and 48V/96V systems. The chip is in production now and is designed as a drop-in replacement for the earlier L9963E.

Why it matters: - The L9963F targets battery packs used in hybrid and full electric vehicles, industrial energy storage systems and 48V/96V applications. - The chip is designed to replace the L9963E without hardware or software changes, which can reduce redesign work for existing users. - Safety, measurement precision and low-power operation are central to battery-management systems that must keep packs protected and available across vehicle and industrial use cases.

What happened: - STMicroelectronics introduced the L9963F automotive battery-management IC. - The company said the new part keeps the feature set of the L9963E and adds internal improvements. - STMicroelectronics said the device is in production now. - The chip comes in a 10mm x 10mm TQFP64 package. - Budgetary pricing starts at $4.60 in 1,000-unit volumes. - More information is available in the company’s announcement.

The details: - One L9963F can monitor 4 to 14 stacked cells, covering applications up to 48V. - Multiple ICs can be connected for larger arrays of up to 31 battery packs and 434 series cells total. - Coulomb counting supports pack overcurrent detection when ignition is on or off. - A redundant cell-measurement path with ADC swap is built in for added safety and limp-home capability. - The device can draw power from the monitored battery. - An integrated voltage regulator and bootstrap help generate stable internal references and preserve measurement precision. - Cell-balancing current support goes up to 200mA. - The integrated balancing-MOSFET drivers can stay active for a timed period after the device enters low-power operation. - STMicroelectronics describes that mode as silent balancing, which keeps protection active while using as little battery energy as possible. - The chip includes nine general-purpose I/O pins and an SPI interface for control and monitoring. - Fault-detection and notification functions are included. - The L9963F is featured for ISO 26262 compliance and is ASIL-D ready for functional-safety applications. - The device uses fully synchronized current and voltage sampling with 0µs desynchronization delay between samples. - The integrated 16-bit voltage ADC has a maximum error of ±2mV in the 0.5V to 4.3V range. - The synchronization accuracy extends across multiple stacked ICs through a 2.66Mbps isolated serial communication interface. - The interface keeps maximum latency to 4µs between the first and 31st device in a chain.

Between the lines: - The update appears aimed at customers that want higher safety and measurement consistency without changing board design or software. - The 31-device chaining capability suggests the chip is built for larger, more complex battery architectures. - The ASIL-D-ready positioning signals a push toward higher-assurance automotive and industrial systems.

What’s next: - STMicroelectronics is likely to market the L9963F as a drop-in upgrade path for current L9963E users. - Adoption will hinge on how battery-pack makers weigh the safety features, synchronization performance and pricing against competing parts. - The company’s announcement page provides the product details and specifications.