Hardware Podcasts

Innovation Under the Hood - Part 2

EE Times Current · 10 Nov 2023 · 34m

What this episode covers

Peter Vaughan, Director of BizDev for Automotive at Power Integrations, discusses the evolution of electric vehicle power electronics, focusing on the transition from 12V lead-acid batteries to high-efficiency power supplies. He explains how Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology enables compact, heat-sink-free converters that improve reliability and efficiency, citing examples like the InnoSwitch3-AQ and Team Alpha Centauri's solar car. The conversation also covers functional safety requirements, the elimination of the 12V battery to prevent 'dead battery' issues, and the potential shift to higher voltage architectures (36V or 48V) to reduce copper weight.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Power Integrations, Tesla, General Motors
Products
InnoSwitch3-AQ
Also
Team Alpha Centauri, Bridgestone's World Solar Challenge

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