DC-DC converters are devices that store electrical energy and convert direct current (DC) from one voltage level to another. They play an important role as intermediaries between different voltage level systems in automotive applications.
In the traditional 12V electrical architecture, control circuits serve as DC-DC converters, which have been the dominant electrical system in the automotive industry since the 1950s. Over the decades, new features and innovations have added complexity to vehicle electrical/electronic architectures, such as cruise control in the 1950s, emission control in the 1970s, and electrical centers in the 1990s. DC-DC converters achieve this growth by reducing the power from the 12V battery to the lower-voltage electrical system (such as instrument panels, entertainment systems, LED lighting, and sensors, as low as 3.3V). These low-voltage DC-DC converters remain an important part of all vehicle control circuits, whether for internal combustion engine vehicles or battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
BEVs require higher levels of power, hence the need for more powerful DC-DC converters. Systems above 60V are considered high-voltage; the typical range for a BEV battery voltage is between 400V to 800V. The voltage must be lowered to 48V to power air conditioning systems, and lowered again to 12V or below to power the numerous electronic devices throughout the vehicle. The voltage may also need to be increased - for example, if a battery running at 400V is connected to a charging station running at 800V.
The expansion of software-supported features (including active safety, connectivity, and entertainment) only adds to the complexity of the low-voltage architecture. BEVs must provide enough power to drive the wheels while still reducing the current needed to run all the low-voltage devices that make up a software-defined vehicle. They also need to be reliable enough to meet functional safety requirements for autonomous driving and advanced driver assistance systems.
High-voltage DC-DC converters are larger and heavier than low-voltage converters, as they require additional shielding to protect nearby components from electromagnetic interference caused by increased currents. Electric vehicle designers are turning to higher power density DC-DC converters, measured in kilowatts per cubic centimeter, to minimize size and weight and extend vehicle range.
DC-DC converters with power ranges of 700W to 4kW are needed to reduce 400V or 800V to 12V - for commercial vehicles, power levels can reach up to 12kW.
The challenge is to optimize space while maintaining high safety and efficiency. Although some automakers maintain a 12V battery in addition to the main 400V or 800V battery, emerging designs combine larger batteries with more complex DC-DC converters to achieve higher efficiency, eliminating the weight, cost, and maintenance of a separate 12V battery.
Efficient conversion is key to running DC-DC converters, and understanding the entire vehicle architecture provides information for software and hardware design. Although high-voltage vehicle components are relatively new to the industry, Aptiv is leveraging decades of knowledge to understand what OEMs need to lead the way in automotive electrification solutions. Software-defined vehicles with rich functionality must be space- and energy-efficient enough to enable OEMs and consumers to deliver their vision and expectations, including wireless updates, network security, autonomous driving, advanced safety, and state-of-the-art user experience.
Aptiv's expertise in vehicle brains and neural systems enables us to optimize electrical/electronic systems and packaging space while still meeting performance, functional safety, and computing and power requirements.
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