Grid

SiC chips board buses in China

Power modules from StarPower Semiconductor are using the next generation of SiC semiconductors for the first time for electric buses in China (writes Nick Flaherty). Bus maker Zhengzhou Yutong Group is using a 100 A, 1200 V SiC MOSFET transistor from Cree for the StarPower module in an 800 V powertrain design. This will provide the first electric bus design in China to use the SiC widebandgap semiconductor MOSFETs...

Grid

Gear IC has traction

Allegro Microsystems has launched the industry’s first gear-tooth sensor IC to provide incremental position data for traction motors (writes Nick Flaherty). The ATS17501 provides high-speed switching up to 40 kHz to directly measure rotating ferrous gears up to 30,000 rpm, and provides an incremental encoded output...

Grid

Schottky diodes start to motor

Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) operating at 200 V and with low leakage current are being increasingly used for hybrid and full electric powertrains and inverters (writes Nick Flaherty). There is currently a strong effort towards mechanical integration in 48 V hybrid drive systems, by combining the motor and peripheral circuits...

Grid

Fifth-gen cell voltage monitors

Smart Test Solutions has launched its fifth generation of cell voltage monitoring (CVM) systems for fuel cells, batteries and electrolysis for hydrogen generation (writes Nick Flaherty). This latest version has an extended temperature range of up to 105 C, up from the previous 85 C. The power supply range has also been extended. Instead of using a 5 V supply...

Grid

Wheel motor test platform

Nissan has developed a test vehicle to evaluate the use of electric motors on each wheel (writes Nick Flaherty). It is based on the Leaf e+ platform, with front and rear motors and what Nissan calls a new chassis control system. New control technology being developed by the company integrates its electric propulsion and four-wheeldrive control technologies...

Grid

Going everywhere for testing

BorgWarner has converted an Aerial Nomad all-terrain vehicle to all electric operation to test its electric motor technologies and other electric components from suppliers at the system level (writes Nick Flaherty). It is the first high-voltage, all-electric demonstration vehicle to be developed by the company’s Corporate Advanced Engineering group. The new technologies in the test platform include traction inverters...

Grid

Cloud control for e-bus systems

Siemens has launched a cloud-oriented charging system for commercial vehicles that supports power levels from 50 to 600 kW (writes Nick Flaherty). The Sicharge UC family is intended for charging electric buses and utility vehicles at the depot and en route using charging plugs and offboard or onboard pantographs. The 1000 V system works with applications...

Grid

No contact with CAN monitor

Hioki has extended its non-contact voltage test technology to allow developers to monitor CAN bus networks (writes Nick Flaherty). The SP7001/7002 CAN sensors can detect the CAN fl exible data (CAN FD) rate that supports higher rates than the earlier CAN standard, as well as CAN...

Grid

Onboard charger gives it 300%

Finepower has developed an onboard charger based on gallium nitride which, at 3 kW/litre, exceeds the power density of conventional chargers by 300% (writes Nick Flaherty). The water-cooled charger measures 210 x 50 x 60 mm without the housing, and converts input voltages from 85 to 264 V AC, with a maximum power of...

Grid

New-gen composites on show

Lightweight materials are a key element of the integrated engineering approach needed for EV vehicle development, as engineers strive to reduce vehicle weight in order to increase the effectiveness of the battery energy available (writes Lawrence Butcher). A new generation of materials developed by UK-based Alvant provide an interesting option for engineers...

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