Diodes Incorporated announced a further enhancement of its wide-bandgap product offering with the release of the DMWSH120H90SM4Q and DMWSH120H28SM4Q automotive-compliant Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs. These N-channel MOSFETs respond to the increasing market demand for SiC solutions that enable better efficiency and higher power density in electric and hybrid-electric vehicle (EV/HEV) automotive subsystems like battery chargers,…
ABB helps iconic Maid of the Mist boats go green
Anyone who’s visited Niagara Falls in the summer has surely watched the famed Maid of the Mist boats ply the waters of the Niagara Gorge. The ships, which appear tiny from above, seem to get perilously close to the thundering water from both the American and Canadian falls, crashing down roughly 200 feet. Now, the…
SiC-enabled demo board available in six variant for 400 – 800 V battery systems
To provide BEV and HEV designers with a faster and more reliable high-voltage circuit protection solution, Microchip Technology announces the E-Fuse Demonstrator Board, enabled by silicon carbide (SiC) technology, available in six variants for 400–800V battery systems and with a current rating up to 30 amps. The E-Fuse demonstrator can detect and interrupt fault currents in microseconds,…
PXI multi-channel battery simulator modules emulate battery stacks up to 1000 V
Pickering Interfaces announced the latest version in its 41/43-752A range of battery simulator modules. Ideal for EV battery stack emulation in BMS test applications, the 41/43-752A-111’s increased voltage isolation (now 1000V) will be essential as the EV industry shifts from 400V to 800V architectures. Targeting EV (electric vehicle), electric aircraft and other automotive, aerospace and energy…
2 x 2 mm single-cell Li-ion and Li-Pol charger features automotive start
Halo Microelectronics announced the release of its HL7040C, a highly integrated family of 2x2mm single-cell Li-Ion and Li-Pol linear chargers. The HL7040C is ideal for portable applications, including smartphones, PDAs, MP3 players, and low-powered handheld devices with limited board space, as it operates from either a USB port or an AC adapter. The high-input voltage […]
Rare earths and EVs — it’s not about batteries
Rare earths play an important part in the sustainability of electric vehicles (EVs). While there are sustainability challenges related to EV batteries, rare earths are not used in lithium-ion batteries. They are necessary for the magnets that form the main propulsion motors. The batteries mostly rely on lithium and cobalt (not rare earths). At the…
What’s the difference between quick charge and extreme fast charge?
Several things. First, quick charge is used with devices like smart phones and tablet computers, while extreme fast charging (XFC) is used with electric vehicles (EVs). Quick charge (QC) is generally slower than extreme fast charge. QC has competitors like universal serial bus power delivery (USB-PD), IEC 62680-1-2:2022, and USB extended power range (EPR). Tesla…
EV basics: Comparing innovative battery chemistries
While lithium-ion battery chemistry dominates the current electric vehicle market, scientists are working to develop innovative battery chemistries that address the known challenges the existing chemistry presents. By Adam Kimmel for Mouser Electronics Sales of electric vehicles (EVs) continue to outpace the overall automotive segment, with EV market shares of 5.2% in Q1 and 5.6%…
Insights into a hidden flaw could unlock better batteries for EVs
A research team comprised of Princeton, Vanderbilt, and Argonne and Oak Ridge National Labs researchers claims to have uncovered a hidden flaw behind failures in solid-state batteries. In a solid-state battery, ions move through the battery within a solid material, in contrast to traditional lithium-ion batteries, in which ions move in a liquid. Solid-state cells…
Next EV anxiety: Cold weather
Leland Teschler • Executive Editor If you wandered around the Society of Automotive Engineers’ annual trade show earlier this year, you would have seen a number of ideas aimed at cutting power consumption in electric vehicles. One development in that category was from a company called BetterFrost. It devised a more energy efficient windshield defroster.…