Drivers may have access to fast-charging battery electric vehicles that can charge from ordinary power outlets in the near future, thanks to innovative transistors. EV charging still represents one of the largest barriers to electric vehicle adoption due to the extended charging periods associated with standard EV chargers. For electric vehicles to enjoy mass adoption, they should be able to recharge as quickly and conveniently as gas-powered cars.
With manufacturers working on various means of enabling fast charging that doesn’t reduce an EV battery’s total lifespan, innovations in transistor technology could provide them with the breakthrough they need to finally develop quick-charging electric cars. Such electric cars would be able to charge from household outlets, eliminating the need to install private electric vehicle chargers and lowering the cost and space requirements of EV ownership.
Fraunhofer Institute for Reliability and Microintegration IZM and the Technical University of Berlin researchers on the EnerConnect project are currently studying bidirectional blocking gallium nitride (GaN) transistors to inform the design of systems that can function with the next generation of active rectifiers and active converters. This type of transistor hardware doesn’t require a separate stage for conversion and has a 99% efficiency rate, thus the potential for significantly more efficient home electric vehicle charging.
While electric vehicle drivers can already charge their vehicles at home using their regular wall outlets, the conversion from alternating current to direct current is highly inefficient, leading to significant energy losses. Even private dedicated electric vehicle chargers installed in the garage or driveway still suffer from this inefficiency issue. As such, researchers from the EnerConnect project have joined hands with industry partners Infineon Technologies AG, Delta Electronics Inc., and BIT GmbH, to develop a system that uses bidirectional blocking gallium nitride transistors.
As bidirectional blocking GaN transistors allow for increased energy density and charging efficiency, they could open the door to electric vehicles that can quickly charge from a regular household outlet. Manufacturers currently use unidirectional blocking transistors that allow cheaper hardware to handle higher switching frequencies but can only lock voltage in a single direction.
Bidirectional blocking transistors, on the other hand, feature two gate structures that allow them to handle both positive and negative voltages, making their use in public grid converters and rectifiers incredibly feasible and potentially beneficial. Deploying this new switching technology would reduce the strain on public charging infrastructure as drivers will have access to efficient home charging without having to invest in home chargers.
It is exciting to imagine the possibilities that will be opened up for various EV models like those made by Workhorse Group Inc. (NASDAQ: WKHS) once quickly charging the EV becomes as simple as plugging it into any power outlet in one’s home.
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