Power
The acceleration of automotive electrification demands innovation
Nicola Rosano, senior strategic application & system engineer EMEA of Vicor, discusses how power electronics can have a substantial impact, driving innovation and responding to the evolving needs of the automotive market, particularly as demand for electric and hybrid vehicles increases
Electrification has reached a stage of maturity because safe, efficient and practical vehicles are now sold worldwide, but more work needs to be achieved for wider market adoption. The charging times of BEVs are still too long causing a semblance of “range anxiety.” Also, EV manufacturing costs are still too high to be sufficiently profitable in the entry level and mid-range cars. We are trying to improve the EV powertrain, focusing on the adoption of 48V architectures which will result in cost reductions down the road.
There are different challenges and we are addressing them in collaboration with automotive manufacturers. Vicor designs power modules with a myriad of rigorous requirements: efficiency, size and weight of the components, thermal management, integration, modularity, safety and reliability, electromagnetic compatibility and cost. Regarding the efficiency, size and weight, integration and modularity of our modules, I believe we have made considerable progress and I can affirm that Vicor DC-DC converters are the best on the automotive market. We still have work to do, but we are making great progress. Heat management, for example, has been significantly improved in the new generation of DC-DC converters. And that will continue to improve as we further refine our systems.
The matter is more complex when it 54 November 2024
comes to safety and reliability, because it depends on the propulsion system as a whole, not only on our power modules. However, Vicor is improving performance under the rigorous safety standards of the automotive industry and demonstrating high levels of product reliability under various operating conditions. Electromagnetic compatibility also depends largely on the OEM’s powertrain. Automotive electronics must comply with EMC regulations to minimize electromagnetic interference (EMI) and ensure compatibility with other vehicle systems and the challenge here for Vicor is to develop power supplies with robust EMC performance to prevent OEMs’ need to fit
Components in Electronics
external filters. Finally, we cannot ignore the cost item, which is a constant concern in automotive production. Our strategy is based on delivering “value” to OEMs’ systems. Our commitment is always aimed at providing them with competitive solutions.
First, Vicor is the leader in 48V power and has been refining our expertise for decades. 48V is being used more now than ever before in a variety of different industries. We have a solid experience in power conversion from high voltage 800V
to 48V in our original business segments, so it is a natural extension to design 48V into automotive.
In our research we examined the total effects of switching from 12V to 48V on medium-sized BEV SUVs. In our study we evaluated the effects of the weight of the car and how the thermal system would be affected by a distributed rather than centralized architecture when using a totally electric architecture. To simplify, the concept mirrors the approach used by energy distribution suppliers that bring electricity to our apartments and homes. It is more cost effective to run higher voltage for longer distances. For equivalent power, higher
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