Electric vehicles are more expensive and have shorter driving ranges than internal combustion engine vehicles.
The need for an integrated powertrain with fewer components and a simpler design
TI Offers ASIL D Certified WBG-Based Solutions


Texas Instruments (TI) announced on the 3rd a powertrain system integration solution that improves the economic efficiency and affordability of hybrid and pure electric vehicles and extends their driving range.

The performance of an electric vehicle is determined by the powertrain's efficiency and size. Reducing the number and size of components and streamlining the design can reduce weight, cost, and improve reliability. The electric vehicle industry is moving toward integrated solutions to achieve high efficiency in a compact space, and this trend is expanding into the powertrain system domain.

Onboard chargers (OBCs) for hybrid and pure electric vehicles must accommodate higher power ratings to accommodate higher power capacity, and have higher power density and efficiency to reduce vehicle weight and lower cost per charge. To achieve this, the industry is trying to integrate the design of hybrid and pure electric vehicles with the powertrain architecture.

Powertrain integration is achieved at the system level by combining applications such as the OBC, high-voltage DC/DC converter, inverter, power distribution unit (PDU), and battery management system.

Wide bandgap (WBG) solutions are currently attracting attention for OBC applications in hybrid and pure electric vehicles. Hybrid and pure electric vehicles that integrate high-voltage devices, such as WBG semiconductors using SiC and GaN, into their power switches can achieve higher efficiency than conventional silicon-based power switches, such as MOSFETs and IGBTs.

◇ Four TI high-performance integrated powertrain solutions

Equipped with automotive power stage components such as the TI C2000™ real-time MCU family, the LMG3522R030-Q1 automotive GaN FET, the UCC5870-Q1 isolated gate driver, and the TMP126/7-Q1 temperature sensor, the intelligent power management system performs the tasks necessary to extend the performance and life of the vehicle battery and ensure battery safety. It also achieves high power density and system efficiency of over 98%, while optimizing thermal performance.

The C2000 family of real-time MCUs leverages 925 MIPS and PWM capabilities to increase system efficiency and quickly detect faults with a 30ns response time. The industry's fastest real-time control loops are also possible with GaN and SiC devices.

The automotive GaN FET " LMG3522R030-Q1 " doubles power density by reducing the magnetic element size by 59%, while simplifying thermal design by reducing heat sinks and integrating protection features. This enables a 50% smaller OBC + DC/DC design.

The UCC5870-Q1 isolated gate driver increases power density and efficiency with a peak drive rating of 15A, while maintaining robust communication with a CMTI of greater than 150V/ns. It also reduces the bill of materials by integrating over 50 safety mechanisms.

The TMP126/7-Q1 temperature sensor maximizes efficiency with high-accuracy temperature readings up to 175°C, while enhancing reliability with fine drift, CRC, and temperature spike detection. Its compact size is also achieved by utilizing an ultra-small leaded SPI temperature sensor.

The above products were developed using a functional safety development process certified by TÜV SÜD and provide reference designs verified by an external evaluation agency for ASIL D safety concepts. This reference design implements control of an electric vehicle's traction inverter and bidirectional DC-DC converter based on a single 'TMS320F28388D' C2000 MCU.

“Functional safety is crucial to protecting lives and preventing damage to automotive systems in high-voltage environments such as electric vehicles,” said Park Seo-min, domestic sales director for TI’s Automotive Business Unit. “TI’s integrated powertrain for vehicles is helping customers design vehicles that easily meet ASIL D certification.”

He added, “Using automotive GaN FETs, the size of electric vehicle OBCs and DC/DC converters can be reduced by up to 50% compared to existing silicon or SiC solutions, resulting in cost and size savings.”