800V SiC inverter cuts EV charging time in half
Delphi Technologies says it is the first in the industry with volume production of a 800V silicon carbide SiC inverter, one of the key components of highly efficient next-generation electric and hybrid vehicles.
The inverter design halves charging times compared with today’s 400V systems using Cree’s Wolfspeed SiC devices.
Delphi’s patented Viper 4 SiC inverter power switch supports multi voltage platforms and is an evolution of the company’s proven high-voltage inverter with double sided cooling. This allows the inverter to be 40 percent lighter and 30 percent smaller than other designs. The company recently secured a landmark $2.7bn customer win for volume production of this technology over eight years with a leading global OEM. Launch is expected in 2022, initially for a high-performance vehicle operating at up to 800V..
IHS estimates that up to 45 percent of global vehicle production will be electrified by 2025, with around 46 million electrified vehicles being sold annually, rising to up to 57 percent by 2030 (around 62 million vehicles annually). Inverters are one of the highest-value electrification components and their efficiency has an industry-changing impact on many aspects of vehicle performance.
“Doubling the voltage from today’s typical 400 volts brings a substantial range of benefits, both for the vehicle user and for the vehicle manufacturer,” said Richard Dauch, chief executive officer of Delphi Technologies. “We have designed this technology to simplify vehicle manufacturers’ multi-voltage strategy as they extend their electric and hybrid vehicle ranges. The faster switching alone will allow faster, more compact and lighter motors that offer great efficiency and greater range, in addition to the many benefits of moving to 800V.”
The Viper SiC switch switch fits into the same inverter package as the current silicon switch, reducing engineering costs associated with a technology change and simplifying the design of multiple vehicle performance options. An integrated DC-DC converter and inverter already provides significant savings to OEMs.
