Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery electric vehicles rely on different battery recharging technologies to power controllers and the vehicle’s traction drive.
All-electric semis are making inroads toward hauling loads. Waymo’s truck is self-driving and getting ready for a test run. Meanwhile, Tesla’s all-electric semi (not self-driving) is hauling batteries from the company’s Nevada plant to California.
Automobile manufacturers in Europe and Asia are getting their electric SUVs ready, from the U.K.’s Jaguar unveiling its I-Pace SUV to South Korea’s Hyundai introducing its sub-compact Kona Electric SUV.
WBG power semiconductors, including SiC power MOSFETs and GaN transistors, were out in full force at APEC 2018—but they are only the beginning of a steep adoption curve.
The successful convergence of new technologies will require electric vehicles (EVs) that are low cost and fully autonomous. These attributes can be realized through wireless charging.
Present autonomous vehicle designs are pre-occupied with the various computers and sensors required to provide operational safety under all driving conditions. However, there are system design issues that should also be considered, such as power...
Concept cars previewed at the Las Vegas Computer Electronic Show are a good indication of the proliferation of electronics in automotive vehicles now and in the future.
Power conversion is intrinsically inefficient: A power converter will never output quite as much power as it takes in. Recently, power converters made from gallium nitride (GaN) have begun to reach the market, boasting higher efficiency and...
