Creating Safe, Reliable Circuits for Next-gen EVs

Design considerations for building robust circuit protection in electrified and increasingly automated vehicles.

Designing circuits for electrified vehicles is extremely challenging. To ensure robust and safe designs that can withstand overloads, transients, and electrostatic discharge (ESD), designers need to ensure their circuits have the necessary components that will prevent damage. This article presents recommendations for both circuit protection and efficient control using the on-board charger as an example circuit.

Hybrid vehicles, as seen in the Fig. 1 schematic, represent the worst-case scenario for designers who must develop circuitry that can withstand transients from both the internal combustion engine and the highpower electric motors. In this environment, the on-board charger must contend with the AC power line and its potential for generating overloads and transients.