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Fast charge ahead for BMW vehicles

Sprint Power is leading the development of an 800 V fast-charging system for BMW (writes Nick Flaherty). The Celeritas project is a £9.7 million effort to develop fast-charging cells and battery packs for battery EVs and fuel cell hybrid EVs. As well as BMW, its members include the UK’s Advanced Propulsion Centre, BP, AMTE […]

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Dual-component power converter

Premo has developed an 11 kW power converter using its patented technology that integrates multiple magnetic components (writes Nick Flaherty). The 3DP-11KWHVHV combines a full-bridge 150 µH LLC resonant transformer and 25 µH resonant choke in a single unit. This cuts the volume of the converter by up to half, and can reduce the amount of […]

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Inverter integration cuts size, weight

Texas Instruments has integrated a transformer into a gate driver to enable distributed switch architectures for inverters (writes Nick Flaherty). The UCC14240-Q1 isolated DC-DC bias supply module integrates the transformer and components with 3.5 mm-high planar magnetics to reduce the size, height and weight of a distributed power system in an inverter. The integration of […]

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Inverter sintering set to boost range

MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions is working with STMicroelectronics on improved sinter technology for EV inverter assemblies. The process, known as pressure sintering, can significantly increase vehicle efficiency and range as well as lowering production costs (writes Nick Flaherty). Pressure sintering provides much lower thermal resistance in an inverter, which leads to better power cycling and […]

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Motor wire is ‘green’

Tau has started shipping prototype environmentally friendly winding wire to the automotive industry. The wire combines minimised partial discharge, high fill factors and improved temperature resistance for high-voltage and frequency optimisation for electric motors.

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Flat chassis chosen for axial motors

Saiettta has used its AFT140 axial motor for a flat chassis for urban vehicles (writes Nick Flaherty). Mounted on the corners of the chassis, the AFT 140 in-wheel electric motors provide a torque of up to 140 Nm for controllable power at low speeds in urban stop-start journeys. The chassis is a flexible platform that […]

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Device reads LV and HV in one go

A 45 V high-withstand voltage battery monitoring device for automotive designs has implemented a supply voltage-divided output for the first time (writes Nick Flaherty). Dividing battery monitoring between high- and low-voltage sources increases the safety of e-mobility designs, as it allows 12 V batteries to be monitored by the same device that monitors the low […]

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Matrix aimed at seal and EMI issues

The Electrically and Thermally Conductive and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials (ETEMI) project aims to enhance conventional elastomers, liquid silicon rubber and thermoplastics to address sealing and EMI issues at the same time in EVs. This is driving the development of a new class of electrically conductive sealing materials.

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Reducing models of EV behaviour

The development of e-mobility platforms requires a complex interplay between different engineering teams for the mechanical, thermal, electrical, control and software design. ROMs from 3D design tools can be substituted for 1D system simulation models to provide more accurate and detailed results, so teams can make an informed and correct design choice earlier.

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Nanotech alloy ups HV power

The LISA (Lithium Sulphur for Safe Road Electrification) European project is developing a 20 Ah solid-state lithium-sulphur pouch cell with high gravimetric energy of 450 Wh/kg and volumetric energy density of 700 Wh/litre that will be stable for at least 1000 cycles. The first step is a proof-of-concept 21700 cylindrical cell with a capacity of 3 Ah.