Texas Instruments (TI) and Delta Electronics, a global power and energy management manufacturer, have joined forces to advance onboard charging for electric vehicles.

TI announced on the 28th that it is conducting a long-term collaboration with Delta Electronics to develop next-generation electric vehicle onboard charging and power solutions.

This development collaboration will be achieved by combining the two companies' research and development capabilities in power management and power supply at the Joint Innovation Lab established by TI and Delta Electronics in Pingzhen, Taiwan.

TI and Delta Electronics aim to accelerate the realization of safer, faster-charging, and more affordable electric vehicles by optimizing power density, performance, and size.

“The transition to electric vehicles is key to realizing a more sustainable future, and TI has built a solid foundation through our years of collaboration with Delta Electronics,” said Amichai Ron, senior vice president of embedded processing at TI.“We will use TI semiconductors to develop electric vehicle power systems, such as onboard chargers and DC/DC converters, that are smaller, more efficient and more reliable, helping to extend driving range and encourage wider adoption of electric vehicles,” he said.

“Since 2008, Delta Electronics has been developing high-efficiency vehicle power products, systems and solutions to reduce transportation-related carbon emissions,” said James Tang, vice president, Mobility Division and general manager, Electric Vehicle Solutions Business Group, Delta Electronics. “By establishing this joint innovation lab with TI, Delta Electronics aims to leverage TI’s extensive experience and advanced technologies in digital control and GaN to enhance the power density and performance of electric vehicle power systems. With our more advanced product development and design capabilities, we aim to accelerate product development and improve product safety and quality through close technical exchange and collaboration. We also look forward to further strengthening our technology leadership in the rapidly evolving electric vehicle market and achieving mutual benefits.”

The first phase of their collaboration focuses on developing a lighter, more cost-effective 11-kW onboard charger using Delta Electronics' latest C2000™ real-time microcontrollers (MCUs) and TI's proprietary active electromagnetic interference (EMI) filter products. Using TI's products, the companies are working to achieve up to 95% power conversion efficiency while reducing charger size by 30%.

In a second phase, TI and Delta Electronics are leveraging the latest C2000 real-time MCUs for automotive applications to help automakers achieve Automotive Safety Integrity Levels (ASILs) up to ASIL D, representing the most stringent automotive safety requirements. Highly integrated automotive isolated gate drivers further enhance the power density of onboard chargers while minimizing overall solution size.

In Phase 3, the two companies will collaborate to develop next-generation automotive power solutions, leveraging TI's more than 10 years of experience in developing and manufacturing products using gallium nitride (GaN) technology.

“The rapid growth of electronics in automotive applications has enabled richer, more efficient and safer vehicles. However, technical challenges remain,” said Luke Lee, president of TI Taiwan, Japan, Korea and South Asia. “With 55 years of experience in automotive power management in Taiwan, TI has built close relationships with the local automotive industry, leveraging decades of experience. Our collaboration with Delta Electronics and the establishment of this joint innovation lab are just one of the many ways TI is driving vehicle electrification.”