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onsemi’s new modules for DC ultra-fast electric vehicle charging

January 10, 2024

onsemi announced nine new EliteSiC Power Integrated Modules (PIMs), which enable bidirectional charging capabilities for DC ultra-fast electric vehicle (EV) chargers and energy storage systems (ESS).

The silicon carbide-based solutions are designed to improve system cost with higher efficiency and simpler cooling mechanisms. This can reduce size by up to 40% and weight by up to 52% compared to traditional silicon-based IGBT solutions. The new modules will allow for more compact, lighter charging platforms, providing designers with the necessary components to quickly deploy a reliable, efficient, and scalable network of DC fast chargers. These chargers can charge electric vehicle batteries up to 80% in as little as 15 minutes.

The J.D. Power’s 2023 Electric Vehicle Consideration Study indicates that nearly half of U.S. consumers cite access to charging and the ability to do so quickly as reasons for not purchasing an electric vehicle. The availability of EV chargers in the U.S. needs to quadruple by 2025 and increase eightfold by the end of the decade to meet demand and ensure equitable access to public charging stations. The rapid increase in demand for electricity could potentially overload current electrical grids. Bidirectional charging has emerged as a key solution to implement vehicle-to-grid, which allows both regular battery charging and the use of an EV as an energy storage system to power homes when needed.

onsemi offers a comprehensive portfolio of PIMs to address the key topologies on the market. This gives designers the flexibility to choose the right PIM for power conversion stages in their DC fast charging or energy storage system applications. Advanced piecewise linear electrical circuit simulation (PLECS) models through the Self-Service PLECS model Generator and application simulation with the Elite Power Simulator of this portfolio will also be made available to designers.

Each module uses die from the same wafer to ensure consistency and reliability. This module portfolio offers several benefits, including the use of Gen3 M3S SiC MOSFET technology, support for key topologies, scalable output power from 25 kW to 100 kW, industry-standard F1 and F2 packages with the option of pre-applied Thermal Interface Material (TIM) and press fit pins, optimal thermal management, energy conservation by minimizing power losses, and robustness and dependability.