Highly integrated battery management IC, capable of monitoring up to 256 cells in series

TI announced the release of an IC with integrated battery monitor and protection circuitry, the first in the industry to be able to measure 16 battery cells at once.

The new product bq76PL455A-Q1 can monitor cell voltage with very high precision for high-capacity batteries of up to 256 cells in series, enabling more intelligent battery management in electric vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, and grid energy storage systems.

The bq76PL455A-Q1 can accurately calculate the state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) of a battery pack by precisely measuring cell voltage, and enables active and passive cell balancing, thereby maximizing the energy extracted from the battery. Passive cell balancing corrects charging voltage discrepancies, while active cell balancing maximizes the charge amount. This allows hybrid and electric vehicle manufacturers to reduce production costs and enables drivers to increase driving range.


System integration developers use bq76PL455A-Q1 to develop battery management systems that consider efficiency and safety. Dr. Joachim Wagner, Head of Product Management and Advanced Development at Preh, stated, “Through our collaboration with TI, we have been able to develop a differentiated battery management system, and this system, developed for various automotive and other applications, provides innovative solutions to our customers.”

The key features and advantages of the bq76PL455A-Q1 include the ability to accurately monitor and protect high-capacity battery packs consisting of up to 256 cells in series. By providing an isolated differential UART, the bq76PL455A-Q1 eliminates the need for expensive CAN (controller area network) and isolators, thereby further reducing the BOM (bill of materials). It supports system integrators in easily achieving system-level functional safety (ISO26262). Safety manuals regarding overvoltage/undervoltage comparators using separate voltage references, built-in self-tests for defined internal functions, and open circuit detection are available at ti.com/kr.

By using the bq76PL455A-Q1 evaluation module (bq76PL455EVM) and the bq76PL455A-Q1-EVM-GUI-SW graphical user interface tool, device functions and performance can be evaluated easily and quickly, and product development time can be reduced. Additionally, TI Designs provides reference designs for step-by-step guides on manual balancing.

The bq76PL455A-Q1 device is currently available at the TI store and authorized distributors. It is available in a TQFP (thin quad flat pack) 80 package, and is priced at $14.95 per unit in 1,000-unit quantities.