News: Microelectronics
9 January 2024
onsemi releases DC ultra-fast EV charging solutions to address critical barriers to adoption
Intelligent power and sensing technology firm onsemi of Scottsdale, AZ, USA has announced the availability of nine new EliteSiC power integrated modules (PIMs) enabling bidirectional charging capabilities for DC ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers and energy storage systems (ESS). The silicon carbide (SiC)-based solutions should dramatically improve system cost, with higher efficiency and simpler cooling mechanisms that can reduce size by up to 40% and weight by up to 52% compared with traditional silicon-based IGBT solutions, it is reckoned. With more compact, lighter charging platforms, designers will have all the key building blocks that are needed to quickly deploy a reliable, efficient and scalable network of DC fast chargers that can charge EV batteries up to 80% in just 15 minutes, says the firm.
According to J.D. Power’s 2023 Electric Vehicle Consideration Study, nearly half of US consumers note the reason for not purchasing an electric vehicle is the access to charging and the ability to do so quickly, to ensure that the driving experience is as easy and seamless as with a traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle. In the USA, the availability of EV chargers needs to quadruple by 2025 and to grow by 8x by the end of the decade to keep up with demand (according to S&P Global Mobility Forecasts) and to ensure that drivers have equitable access to public charging stations.
In turn, this rapid increase in demand for electricity will also put a tremendous strain on existing electrical grids, potentially overloading them. To mitigate this problem, bidirectional charging has emerged as a key solution to implement vehicle-to-grid which allows both regular battery charging and the ability to use an EV as an energy storage system to power your home when needed.
This solution helps to enable a DC fast charging network and vehicle-to-grid power transfer systems, addressing access and speed with its ability to recharge a vehicle faster than other methods that take hours or even days, it is claimed.
onsemi offers a portfolio of PIMs to address the key topologies on the market, giving designers the flexibility to pick the appropriate PIM for power conversion stages in DC fast charging or energy storage system applications. To accelerate the design cycle, advanced piecewise linear electrical circuit simulation (PLECS) models through onsemi’s Self-Service PLECS model Generator and application simulation with the Elite Power Simulator of this portfolio will also be made available to designers.
For each module, onsemi uses die from the same wafer to ensure more consistency and reliability so designers don’t have to use discretes from different suppliers, which can lead to varying performance results, the firm says. In addition to its reliability, the module portfolio is said to offer the following benefits:
- Gen3 M3S SiC MOSFET technology offers the lowest switching losses and highest efficiency in the industry, it is claimed;
- support for key topologies such as multi-level T-type neutral point clamp (TNPC), half-bridge and full-bridge topologies;
- support for scalable output power from 25kW to 100kW, enabling multiple DC fast charging and energy storage systems platforms including bidirectional charging;
- industry-standard F1 and F2 packages with the option of pre-applied thermal interface material (TIM) and press-fit pins;
- optimal thermal management, avoiding system failure due to overheating;
- full-SiC modules, which offer energy conservation by minimizing power losses, directly translating to cost and energy savings;
- more robustness and dependability, ensuring consistent operations.
onsemi to supply EliteSiC MOSFET technology to Magna for EV traction inverters
