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Whitepaper: Borgwarner’s Next Generation Traction Inverter

March 18, 2024

As electric propulsion continues to gain market share, it is vital to maintain this momentum by refining technologies in preparation for the next generation of electric drives.

Major components such as batteries, inverters and electric motors must become more compact while offering improved safety and efficiency. This paper explores the measures taken by BorgWarner to redesign the traction inverter to meet the latest market demands. Taking into account the requirements of both passenger cars and medium power commercial vehicles, an 800VDC system was indicated with RMS phase currents of 650A peak/400A continuous to cater for power ratings of up to 400kVA.

The power output could be scaled down by modifying the number or size of certain components; for example reducing the silicon carbide (SiC) die count or capacitor footprint. Inverter performance and efficiency should be stable in an environment of – 40 to +85°C and at altitudes of up to 5,000m. An IP67 rated enclosure would protect against ingress of dust and water. The electrical and dynamic safety of a traction inverter are dominant concerns, notable hazards being the high voltage and current values, and the potential for strong acceleration/deceleration. BorgWarner set out to achieve Automotive Safety Integrity Level (ASIL) D, the top safety level defined in the ISO 26262 standard. The company’s newly-developed Inverter System Safety ASIC (INSSA) would play an important role in reaching this design target. It was considered desirable to meet or exceed the US Department of Energy (DOE) Vehicle Technologies Office (VTO) 2025 goal of 100kW/liter power density at a cost of USD2.7/kW or less.

To assist in achieving this, BorgWarner limited the design size of the complete inverter package to four liters in volume. With the basic system parameters determined, BorgWarner identified a number of areas where further innovation could improve existing inverter designs; download the paper to learn more:

Download the whitepaper from Borgwarner

Download the whitepaper from Borgwarner

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