Electric vehicles (EVs) have emerged as a promising solution to combat climate change and reduce the environmental impact of transportation. As the world increasingly recognizes the urgency of transitioning to cleaner energy sources, the rise of EVs … [Read more...]

Electric vehicles (EVs) commonly use mechanical contactors — high-voltage switches that control the flow of electricity — for charging. However, unlike most other vehicle and infrastructure parts, contactors have not advanced in efficiency. Most … [Read more...]

Today’s vehicles are loaded with electronics, sensors, control units, safety features, infotainment and advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), as well as dozens of small and big traction motors. Providing, managing, and delivering the required … [Read more...]

Global commercial EV sales are expected to roughly double this year over 2023, while passenger EV sales could increase by 21%. In the US, BloombergNEF anticipates that passenger EV sales could account for 13% of new-car purchases and reach just under … [Read more...]

Electric vehicles (EVs) have several components that deal exclusively with power management. The components include: A battery pack A battery management system (BMS) Power electronics Electric motors A regenerative braking system … [Read more...]

Electric vehicle (EV) smart energy management encompasses a broad ecosystem, optimizing charging, efficiency, and performance. This article reviews the ecosystem’s key segments, from electric chargers and power grids to primary EV systems such … [Read more...]

ISO 26262, titled "Road Vehicles — Functional Safety," is an international standard specifically designed to ensure the functional safety of electrical and electronic systems in road vehicles. The standards have a 12-part risk-based safety assessment … [Read more...]

Conveyors have been used since the start of automotive manufacturing in the early 20th century. Henry Ford leveraged them while standardizing the assembly line, and they’ve been a manufacturing mainstay ever since. Throughout the last 100-plus years, … [Read more...]

The gap between an electric vehicle's (EV) transmitter and receiver coils during wireless power transfer (WPT) affects six parameters: Coupling coefficient Mutual inductance Alignment sensitivity Magnetic field strength Resonant … [Read more...]

There are multiple challenges associated with vehicle-to-grid (V2G) systems. Of course, they must interface efficiently and safely between the vehicle and the grid without interfering with the grid’s operation. They’re also expected to meet multiple … [Read more...]

Compensation in wireless power transfer (WPT) refers to using additional circuit elements to counteract the reactive power in the charging system. Simple compensation topologies are S or P-type, while basic compensation topologies include SS, SP, PS, … [Read more...]

An acoustic vehicle alert system (AVAS), sometimes referred to as a pedestrian warning system (PWS), is designed to alert vulnerable road users (VRUs) like pedestrians, cyclists, and children to the proximity of nearby electric vehicles (EVs). The … [Read more...]

Electrical transients, often called surges, are short-duration, microsecond events. Surges are a risk to any electrical equipment, and electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure is no exception. Such events can interrupt, delay, or corrupt signal … [Read more...]

Electric vehicle (EV) traction motors must withstand sustained high power and high-speed operation. Keeping them properly cooled is essential to EV powertrain design and implementation. Several options exist for cooling EV traction motors depending … [Read more...]

Thermal runaway happens when a lithium-ion (Li-ion) cell, or a small region within a cell, reaches a critical temperature where the materials start to undergo decomposition reactions. These reactions generate significant additional heat. The … [Read more...]

At some point, you’ve probably been told, “Water and electricity don’t mix.” While this is a wise rule to follow in general, it does not tell the complete story. Pure water is, in fact, an excellent insulator of electricity. However, pure … [Read more...]