IGBT in Electric and Hybrid Electric Vehicles

One of the rapidly growing and diversified industries is the automotive manufacturing, which is the largest with a broad extent in consumer preferences for model, easement and innovation. Everyone will profess that severe urban pollution is occurred by the gasoline powered vehicles when these consume dwindling fossil fuel resources. Expansion of electric and hybrid-electric vehicles is the most effective solution of this problem. We have to face serious technological challenges to achieve the worldwide goal to lessen the CO₂ discharge and fuel consumption with pioneering endeavors in evolving electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs).

Motor drives based on IGBT have been used in all hybrid-electric and electric cars introduced into the market until now. IGBTs play the major role in new powertrain generations like EVs and HEVs to drive the electric motor or gather the energy. IGBTs are vulnerable to heating issues because they run at very high frequencies and under high power. Thermal characterization helps to optimize the IGBTs layout, structure and mounting to optimize its performance.

All hybrid-electric and electric cars that have been introduced into the market so far have relied up on IGBT-based motor drives. In new powertrain generations such as EVs and HEVs, IGBTs play the key role in order to drive the electric motor or store the energy. IGBTs run at very high frequencies and under high power which makes them vulnerable to thermal problems. After all we can say, the availableness of IGBTs has been diametrical to the advancement of the hybrid vehicles and to the expansion of the charging substructure for the electric vehicles. IGBTs will continue playing a very important part in the availability of cost deducting technology for the entire hybrid and electric vehicle business.