SiC-MOSFET Inverter in High-Performance PHEV Applications

Improving the efficiency of the traction inverter and the electric machine is a key driver for the use of new technologies in the powertrain of electrified vehicles. As efficiency becomes more of a focus and SiC-MOSFET technology costs continue to decrease, SiC-MOSFET-based traction inverters are becoming increasingly attractive for lower voltage, lower power applications. In this paper, the potential of a 650 V SiC-MOSFET-based traction inverter for high-performance PHEV vehicles with a 400 V traction battery is investigated and compared to a state-of-the-art design based on 650 V Si-IGBT technology. The calculated efficiency maps and the simulated energy consumption show that the inverter losses can be reduced by up to 40 % in the WLTP driving cycle with SiC technology compared to IGBT technology. Therefore, SiC technology should be considered in future high-performance PHEV powertrain designs.