The EV traction inverter is a critical component for electric vehicles. It has to be able to provide high power - in the range of 80 to 200+ kW- to the traction motor, withstand high temperatures and be as small and as light as possible.
Key performance parameters for inverters are:
- High efficiency to minimize switching losses and maximize thermal efficiency, but also for longer battery life
- High-power density for small size and low weight
- High levels of functional safety to protect the vehicle operator and systems
NXP components include multicore lockstep MCUs, Safety SBCs, CAN PHYs and high-voltage gate drivers to control the power conversion to the traction motor with the highest possible efficiency and reliability. They are able to:
- Precisely control, monitor and protect the high power switches to achieve energy and high reliability
- Accurately and efficiently control the motor speed and torque
- Enable the highest level of functional safety in compliance with ISO 26262 requirements
- To provide customers with a solid foundation for their system development, NXP offers an easy-to-use EV Power Inverter Control Reference Platform with system enablement software to speed inverter development
In addition to components and software, these design platforms include schematics, BoMs, layout files and safety documentation for use with either IGBTs or SiC MOSFET modules.