DC EV Charging

Efficient and scalable design systems for DC EV charging from home to highway and beyond

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Overview

The goal of high-power chargers is to reduce charging time, making electric vehicles comparable to combustion engine cars. Designing these chargers involves considerations like reliability, efficiency, cost, secure data and communication. Infineon provides the most comprehensive portfolio, allowing for optimal product and technology selection for every aspect of EV charger design with our combined system solutions.

Benefits

  • Powerful charging infrastructure
  • Reliable & long-lifetime chargers
  • Broadest portfolio on the market
  • Combined system solution offering
  • CoolSiC™ for reduced charging time
  • Product range for higher efficiency
  • System competence
  • Increased power density
  • PSOC™ Control: optimized algorithm exec.
  • Lower conduction & switching losses

Block diagram

About

About DC EV Charging

Electric cars are progressing toward becoming widely available in many countries. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric car sales grew by about 25% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. To maintain this growth, it is crucial to make owning an EV as convenient as owning a traditional car, which is where high-power DC charging comes in.

EV owners now include more than just city-dwellers or short-distance commuters, highlighting the need for widespread charging options. High-power DC chargers provide fast-charging opportunities on highways, while smaller chargers are ideal for daily urban use. 

Additionally, DC charging technology offers bidirectional power transfer, enabling uses like power backup, household buffering, and future V2G (vehicle-to-grid) capabilities.
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA) 

Selecting the right components

When choosing the ideal power semiconductor, it is important to know the charger’s power level. Ultimately, the selection of suitable devices depends on this factor. Fast chargers are commonly built with power subunits using Infineon’s IGBTs, CoolSiC™ MOSFETs, and diode power modules, such as the CoolSiC™ Easy Module, IGBT EconoPACK™, and the IGBT EconoDUAL™ family. With these subints chargers with higher power ranges are built by stacking the subunits to the desired output power.

Our high-quality portfolio of power switches works seamlessly with our broad range of drivers. All switches need a driver, and all drivers need to be controlled. That is why we also offer the best-fit EiceDRIVER™, as well as XMC™ and AURIX™ microcontrollers for your fast EV charging designs. Infineon’s AIROC™ Wi-Fi and combos portfolio integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® in a single-chip solution. For converter management, our high-precision coreless current sensors offer the ideal solution for converter control and diagnosis. And finally, our line of OPTIGA™ products ensures data protection and security for the charging station.

Extended range and fast charging

Encouraging drivers to make EVs their primary means of transportation relies heavily on finding ways to extend their range. While carmakers work on more efficient batteries, equally important is building up a powerful, convenient, and accessible charging infrastructure. This need for more range and reliable infrastructure translates to greater demand for more power as fast as possible.

High-power DC charging systems allow drivers to add 200 km to their battery in about seven minutes–just enough time to have a cup of coffee on the way to their final destination. The technology that makes these chargers fast, efficient, and accessible will help eliminate “range anxiety” among drivers and further encourage EV adoption around the world.

CoolSiC™ for next level energy efficiency

CoolSiC™ technology reduces the charging time with the same charging station and footprint. A single 1200 V SiC MOSFET is sufficient to support a DC-link voltage of 800 V. Doubling power density allows a component count reduction of a comparable Si solution by 50% thanks to doubled voltage in the switch positions. Due to 50% lower conduction and switching losses from lower Coss the overall efficiency can be increased which lowers the cooling effort.

Find out more

About DC EV Charging

Electric cars are progressing toward becoming widely available in many countries. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electric car sales grew by about 25% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. To maintain this growth, it is crucial to make owning an EV as convenient as owning a traditional car, which is where high-power DC charging comes in.

EV owners now include more than just city-dwellers or short-distance commuters, highlighting the need for widespread charging options. High-power DC chargers provide fast-charging opportunities on highways, while smaller chargers are ideal for daily urban use. 

Additionally, DC charging technology offers bidirectional power transfer, enabling uses like power backup, household buffering, and future V2G (vehicle-to-grid) capabilities.
Source: International Energy Agency (IEA) 

Selecting the right components

When choosing the ideal power semiconductor, it is important to know the charger’s power level. Ultimately, the selection of suitable devices depends on this factor. Fast chargers are commonly built with power subunits using Infineon’s IGBTs, CoolSiC™ MOSFETs, and diode power modules, such as the CoolSiC™ Easy Module, IGBT EconoPACK™, and the IGBT EconoDUAL™ family. With these subints chargers with higher power ranges are built by stacking the subunits to the desired output power.

Our high-quality portfolio of power switches works seamlessly with our broad range of drivers. All switches need a driver, and all drivers need to be controlled. That is why we also offer the best-fit EiceDRIVER™, as well as XMC™ and AURIX™ microcontrollers for your fast EV charging designs. Infineon’s AIROC™ Wi-Fi and combos portfolio integrates Wi-Fi and Bluetooth® in a single-chip solution. For converter management, our high-precision coreless current sensors offer the ideal solution for converter control and diagnosis. And finally, our line of OPTIGA™ products ensures data protection and security for the charging station.

Extended range and fast charging

Encouraging drivers to make EVs their primary means of transportation relies heavily on finding ways to extend their range. While carmakers work on more efficient batteries, equally important is building up a powerful, convenient, and accessible charging infrastructure. This need for more range and reliable infrastructure translates to greater demand for more power as fast as possible.

High-power DC charging systems allow drivers to add 200 km to their battery in about seven minutes–just enough time to have a cup of coffee on the way to their final destination. The technology that makes these chargers fast, efficient, and accessible will help eliminate “range anxiety” among drivers and further encourage EV adoption around the world.

CoolSiC™ for next level energy efficiency

CoolSiC™ technology reduces the charging time with the same charging station and footprint. A single 1200 V SiC MOSFET is sufficient to support a DC-link voltage of 800 V. Doubling power density allows a component count reduction of a comparable Si solution by 50% thanks to doubled voltage in the switch positions. Due to 50% lower conduction and switching losses from lower Coss the overall efficiency can be increased which lowers the cooling effort.

Find out more

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Design resources

Partner solutions

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