Today on EV Engineering
What field failures reveal about heavy-duty e-axle validation
Heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs) place considerable demands on their drivetrains, with sustained high torque and repeated loading over long service lives. An electric axle (e-axle) adds to that challenge by packaging the electric motor and gearbox into one compact drive unit. Gears and bearings no longer operate on their own, since the motor’s behavior and…
800-V EV inverter development focuses on reducing switching losses
Hillcrest Energy Technologies has signed a technology collaboration agreement with UK drivetrain manufacturer Equipmake to jointly develop an 800-V traction inverter using Hillcrest’s zero voltage switching (ZVS) technology. The inverter is intended for heavy-duty commercial vehicles and off-highway equipment. Heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs) operate over long, high-power duty cycles, making inverter efficiency an important factor…
New electric drivetrain reaches 30,000 rpm with reduced size and weight
ZF has developed the High Revolution Drive, a compact three-in-one electric drivetrain with a motor capable of reaching 30,000 rpm. The system integrates the electric motor with power electronics and a two-stage transmission, reducing overall size and weight while maintaining comparable power output. The higher rotational speed allows the motor to produce the same power…
GaN-based traction inverter under development for EVs
Cambridge GaN Devices (CGD) is working with Ricardo to develop a high-efficiency gallium nitride (GaN)-based traction inverter for electric vehicles (EVs) as part of the Nissan-led Project SUITE (Sustainable Use of Integrated Technology for EVs). The project focuses on improving EV charging and powertrain efficiency through the integration of advanced power semiconductor and vehicle technologies.…
RISC-V microcontroller architecture brings scalable computing to EV systems
Infineon Technologies has introduced AURIX RC1, a new automotive microcontroller (MCU) platform based on the open-standard RISC-V instruction set architecture. The platform is designed for real-time control in software-defined vehicles, including electric vehicles (EVs), where computing functions are increasingly consolidated into central vehicle computers and zonal controllers. AURIX RC1 provides a common microcontroller architecture for…
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How has NACS evolved into the SAE J3400 EV charging standard?Editor’s note: This article was originally published in November 2023. It is updated here to reflect the publication of SAE…
How AI surrogate models can speed up EV battery cooling designCooling design has a direct effect on how an electric vehicle (EV) battery pack handles fast charging and high loads,…
How does impedance spectroscopy detect early EV battery degradation?A battery management system (BMS) normally judges cell health from terminal voltage, current, and temperature. From these readings, capacity fade…
How do 800-V EVs charge on 400-V dc fast chargers?A 400-V-class dc fast charger cannot directly charge an 800-V electric vehicle (EV) battery when its maximum output falls below…
How hydrogen fits into electric vehicle powertrainsHydrogen is increasingly appearing in heavy-duty vehicle electrification, particularly in applications where battery capacity and charging infrastructure present challenges. Although…
How do current-sensing errors propagate through EV motor control systems?Torque decisions in an electric vehicle (EV) traction drive often start from two or three-phase current readings, which leaves little…
EV Talk: Designing EV components with end of life in mindMaterial selection plays an important role in the performance of electric vehicle (EV) components, but engineers are increasingly being asked…
Mitigating high-frequency vibration in structural battery packsModern electric vehicle (EV) battery engineering revolves around removing layers of structure so more active cell material fits into the…
What causes bearing currents in EV motors and how engineers prevent themAn electric vehicle (EV) traction inverter can drive unwanted current through the motor bearings. Its switching creates voltage on the…
Probing considerations for double pulse testing SiC devices and modulesEditor’s note: Silicon carbide (SiC) power devices are widely used in electric vehicle (EV) traction inverters and other high-voltage power…
Five trends shaping conductive additives in batteriesConductive additives make up a small portion of a battery electrode, yet they play a significant role in cell performance.…
How do two-level and three-level inverter topologies compare in EVs?Whenever an electric vehicle (EV) battery bus exceeds 400 V, it poses powertrain design challenges for engineers. One of the…
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New patent covers silicon-enhanced graphite manufacturing processFocus Graphite has received a Canadian patent covering its silicon-enhanced graphite anode materials and manufacturing process for lithium-ion batteries. Canadian…
LG Energy Solution expands cylindrical battery production for EVsLG Energy Solution has outlined plans to expand cylindrical battery manufacturing for electric vehicles (EVs), including the start of US…
Lithium-metal battery testing demonstrates fast charging at 3.6CBlue Solutions has released new fast-charging test results for its Gen4 lithium-metal battery technology, which is being developed for electric…
How does impedance spectroscopy detect early EV battery degradation?A battery management system (BMS) normally judges cell health from terminal voltage, current, and temperature. From these readings, capacity fade…
DOE unveils national battery strategy and manufacturing acceleratorThe US Department of Energy (DOE) has released a national battery strategy and launched the Battery Manufacturing Accelerator (BattMan) to…
High-voltage coolant heaters provide battery and cabin heating for EVsKLC Corporation (Taiwan King Lung Chin PTC Co., Ltd.), a Taiwan-based thermal management manufacturer, has highlighted its high-voltage coolant heaters…
Graphite One advances $80 million US battery anode facilityGraphite One Inc. has received the final air permit from the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency for the first phase of…
New failure criteria predict EV battery short-circuit risk after mechanical impactResearchers at Temple University have developed a method for predicting the probability of internal short circuits in lithium-ion batteries following…
LG Energy Solution opens 2026 battery research competitionLG Energy Solution has opened applications for its Battery Innovation Contest (BIC) 2026, inviting universities and research institutions worldwide to…
New thermal gap filler delivers 12.0 W/m-K conductivity for automotive electronicsParker Chomerics has introduced THERM-A-GAP PAD 120LOE, a thermal gap filler pad offering 12.0 watts per meter-kelvin (W/m-K) thermal conductivity…
Real-time battery diagnostics reduce lithium-ion cell formation time by up to 60%Researchers at Cornell University, working with battery manufacturer Charge CCCV (C4V), have developed a real-time diagnostic approach that reduced lithium-ion…
New passive cooling technology aims to improve EV battery safetyTotalEnergies Lubrifiants has developed the Coolant Keep Plate (CKP), a passive technology designed to improve thermal-runaway protection in immersion-cooled lithium-ion…
Componentry See More >
800-V EV inverter development focuses on reducing switching losses
Hillcrest Energy Technologies has signed a technology collaboration agreement with UK drivetrain manufacturer Equipmake to jointly develop an 800-V traction inverter using Hillcrest’s zero voltage switching (ZVS) technology. The inverter is intended for heavy-duty commercial vehicles and off-highway equipment. Heavy-duty electric vehicles (EVs) operate over long, high-power duty cycles, making inverter efficiency an important factor…
Technology News See More >
High-power test equipment expands voltage coverage to 1,500 V
Keysight Technologies has expanded its high-power automated test equipment (ATE) portfolio with additional voltage and current options for testing electric vehicle (EV) batteries, charging systems and power conversion equipment. The expansion includes regenerative power supplies, electronic loads and a new family of dc power supplies delivering up to 12 kW. The new configurations extend voltage…
