Accelerating the Transition
to Electric Vehicles with
Silicon Carbide
Electric vehicle (EV) adoption is growing exponentially and factors like climate change are driving a global shift to emissions-free motoring. Reaching true net zero requires a shift in how we engineer EV powertrains for higher as well as the effectiveness of the systems that we use to charge them.
The Road to Success
A Closer Look:
Fast
Charging Systems
On-Board
Charging Systems
Powertrain Systems
On-Board
DC/DC
Converter
Unlock a New Era
of EV Efficiency with
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide
Silicon Carbide technology can positively influence every major power path of an EV system. This can benefit the designer in many ways, including higher switching frequencies, lower losses, smaller and lighter parts, lower system cost, and the ability to realize a more reliable operation in every section of the vehicle.
Wolfspeed’s Silicon Carbide power portfolio spans a large spectrum of power ranges, from scalable discretes to arrays of discretes and up to power modules such as the Wolfspeed WolfPACK and XM3. Having evaluation boards and reference designs greatly accelerates the development time while instilling confidence and a greater chance of success.
Learn more about the advantages of Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide technologies in EVs.
Learn more
Tap Here
SiC
Wolfspeed has been leading the EV revolution since launching the first Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFET. Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide products enable faster switching frequencies and lower losses, enabling smaller, lighter and more efficient systems. Wolfspeed’s comprehensive portfolio of high-performance automotive grade products offer designers the capability to handle the harshest environments.
This will ultimately help to unlock a new era of EV energy efficiency.
Looking Ahead | E-Series
E-Series is a group of cutting-edge, ruggedized Silicon Carbide power components that meet automotive standards, PPAP capable, and are specifically designed to be robust and reliable in the harshest environments.
Traction Battery Pack
Onboard Charger
Electric Traction Motor
Charge Port
Fast Charging Systems
One of the biggest challenges of EVs is the time it takes to charge the vehicles. Fast charging DC stations can charge Electric Vehicles in just 30 minutes by bypassing
the onboard charger (OBC) for rapid,
direct battery charging.
SiC
Tap Here
Traditional silicon designs for a charging system — including both the AC/DC and DC/DC conversion sections — could provide peak efficiencies only up to 94.8% with slower switching frequencies at a low power density.
Traditional Silicon:
Only up to
peak efficiencies
94.8%
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide
Wolfspeed’s Silicon Carbide design for these same systems can reach up to 97% peak efficiency, with more than 2× higher switching frequencies and 51% greater power density at lower system costs.
Wolfspeed SiC:
Up
to
peak efficiencies
97%
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide advantages for EV fast charging include:
1% to 2% higher efficiency
35% to 50% increase in power density
(at comparable system costs)
More relaxed cooling requirements
Better bidirectional charging and control
•
•
•
•
This section includes several possible topologies, such as active front end (AFE),
T-type, and neutral-point–clamped (NPC) configurations.
DC Fast-Charging Layout for EV Applications
25kW
Bi-Directional Active Front End AC-DC Converter
60 kW Discrete Interleaved LLC DC-DC Converter
22kW
Bi-Directional High Efficiency Active Front End Converter
22kW
Bi-Directional High-Efficiency DC/DC Converter
Reference Design
Wolfspeed’s CRD25AD12N-FMC design reduces complexity with further integration in power module packaging with the CCB021M12FM3 Wolfspeed WolfPACK™ modules (shown top below, along with scalable GM3 platform, bottom) to provide up to 25 kW of power at 97%+ peak efficiency.
The Wolfspeed WolfPACK Module
Press-fit connector for ease/reliability, low routing complexity, simpler cooling, smaller, quick-turn upgrade solution from silicon, 10% higher ampacity rating, and 25% reduction in power stage size.
The 60 kW 3-phase interleaved LLC DC-DC converter (CRD-60DD12N-K) doubles
the power level of the previous 30 kW design (CRD-30DD12N-K) and targets
high-power-density, high-efficiency fast charger applications and features Wolfspeed’s discrete 1200 V C3M Silicon Carbide MOSFETs (C3M0040120K
or C3M0032120K) and 650 V C6D Silicon Carbide
Schottky diodes (C6D20065D).
The design accomplishes:
• Peak efficiencies over 98.5%
• Power density of 4.83 kW/L
Reference Design
22kW
Bi-Directional High-Efficiency DC/DC Converter
22kW
Bi-Directional High Efficiency Active Front End Converter
6.6kW High
Power Density
Bi-Directional OBC
CRD-22AD12N 22-kW Bi-Directional
High-Efficiency AC/DC Converter
This reference design is offered as a comprehensive design package which can be used as a starting point for new SiC designs.
Power density of 4.6kW/L
Peak efficiencies of 98.5% in both
PFC and inverter mode
•
•
The design accomplishes
Wolfspeed’s CRD-22AD12N reference design operates as a standalone AC/DC converter with single-phase and three phase inputs, flexible voltage to operate under a wide range of conditions, as well as 98.5% efficiency in both PFC and inverter mode.
Reference Design
Wolfspeed has enabled OBCs with bidirectional energy-transferring capabilities (both from the grid and back onto the grid) at 30% lower loss, 50% higher power density, and up to 15% system cost savings. As seen in the off-board applications, the OBC system also contains an AC/DC and DC/DC section.
Traditional Silicon:
Wolfspeed SiC:
More efficient at higher voltages and currents
In comparison, Silicon Carbide technology can operate more efficiently at higher voltages and currents.
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide
Traditional silicon has made these systems very limited in terms of output, size, and speed.
As the user won’t always have access to an off-board charging system, the integrated OBC will allow for direct AC-to-plug charging, but this takes much longer (8–20 hours). It can, however, be done at the car owner’s convenience.
On-Board Charging Systems
Better bidirectional charging and control
•
More relaxed cooling requirements
•
35% to 50% increase in power density
(at comparable system costs)
•
1% to 2% higher efficiency
•
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide advantages for EV fast charging include:
Limited output, size, and speed.
CRD-22DD12N 22-kW bidirectional high-efficiency DC/DC converter
Press-fit connector for ease/reliability, low routing complexity, simpler cooling, smaller, quick-turn upgrade solution from silicon, 10% higher ampacity rating, and 25% reduction in power stage size.
The Wolfspeed WolfPACK Module
Wolfspeed’s CRD-22DD12N reference design features a resonant CLLC topology with a very wide range of input and output voltages to accommodate various battery levels, as well as a 98.5% efficiency for both charging and discharging modes.
Reference Design
The powertrain is the heart of the EV, delivering power to the most power-hungry components. The
power requirements for moving a vehicle
can be staggering, as it involves
instantaneous delivery at a very
wide range. Here, efficiency is key,
and because Silicon Carbide
provides such high advantages
in terms of efficiency, it can greatly
benefit these system components.
Powertrain Systems
650 V/1200 V Silicon Carbide MOSFET advantages for EV drivetrain designs include:
Lower losses up to
300kW XM3
Three-Phase Inverter and 600kW XM3 High Performance Dual Three-Phase Inverter
Because Wolfspeed’s bare die goes through rigid testing and evaluation, the EV is ensured to perform with a long-lasting, best-in-class performance.
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide
80%
Increase power density by
80%
Reduce size by up to
50%
The Wolfspeed XM3 module allows for > 2× increased power density (compared with silicon-based inverters), high efficiency, and reduced thermal requirements and system cost.
The Wolfspeed XM3 Module
Wolfspeed’s CRD300DA12E-XM3 300kw three-phase inverter and CRD600DA12E-XM3 600kW dual three-phase inverter reference designs utilize Wolfspeed’s EAB450M12XM3 power modules.
Inverter Reference Design
Though the designs serve many applications, it’s an ideal starting point for traction inverters, as it can support 360-ARMS output with very low loss.
The rest of the EV’s system components, including power windows, power steering, infotainment, heating, headlights, and safety systems, must be powered by a local, regulated DC source. The on-board DC/DC converter is responsible for converting the battery voltage to meet the needs of these various components but must do so reliably and in real time.
On-Board DC/DC Converter
6.6kW High Frequency DC/DC Converter
Power density and efficiency can be improved greatly with Silicon Carbide components, and this translates to a smaller, lighter, and more reliable solution.
Wolfspeed’s portfolio of Silicon Carbide products provides:
Wolfspeed Silicon Carbide
30%
Lower losses
up to
50%
Increase power density by
15%
Reduce system cost by
A smaller, lighter, more efficient, and cost-effective solution that serves as a great starting point for new Silicon Carbide designs.
The result:
• 96.5% peak efficiencies
• 3-kW/L power density
• Flexible control schemes
• Unique integrated heatsink design
Wolfspeed’s CRD-06600FF065N-K offers a 6.6-kW high-power–density bidirectional OBC reference design containing both AC/DC and DC/DC sections.
Reference Design
CRD-22AD12N 22-kW Bi-Directional
High-Efficiency AC/DC Converter
This reference design is offered as a comprehensive design package which can be used as a starting point for new SiC designs.
Power density of 4.6kW/L
Peak efficiencies of 98.5% in both
PFC and inverter mode
•
•
The design accomplishes
Wolfspeed’s CRD-22AD12N reference design operates as a standalone AC/DC converter with single-phase and three phase inputs, flexible voltage to operate under a wide range of conditions, as well as 98.5% efficiency in both PFC and inverter mode.
Reference Design
CRD-22DD12N 22-kW bidirectional high-efficiency DC/DC converter
Press-fit connector for ease/reliability, low routing complexity, simpler cooling, smaller, quick-turn upgrade solution from silicon, 10% higher ampacity rating, and 25% reduction in power stage size.
The Wolfspeed WolfPACK Module
Wolfspeed’s CRD-22DD12N reference design features a resonant CLLC topology with a very wide range of input and output voltages to accommodate various battery levels, as well as a 98.5% efficiency for both charging and discharging modes.
Reference Design