TI helps maximize EV driving range with SiC gate driver

DALLAS, May 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments (TI) (Nasdaq: TXN), a leader in high-voltage technology, today debuted a highly integrated, functional safety-compliant, isolated gate driver that enables engineers to design more efficient traction inverters and maximize electric vehicle (EV) driving range. The new UCC5880-Q1 reinforced isolated gate driver offers features that enable EV powertrain engineers to increase power density and reduce system design complexity and cost while achieving their safety and performance goals. For more information, see TI.com/UCC5880-Q1.

As EVs continue to grow in popularity, semiconductor innovations in traction inverter systems are helping overcome critical barriers to widespread adoption. Automakers can build safer, more efficient and more reliable silicon carbide (SiC)- and insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT)-based traction inverters by designing with UCC5880-Q1, featuring real-time variable gate-drive strength, Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), advanced SiC monitoring and protection, and diagnostics for functional safety.

"Designers of high-voltage applications like traction inverters face a unique set of challenges to optimize system efficiency and reliability in a small space," said Wenjia Liu, product line manager for high-power drivers at TI. "Not only does this new isolated gate driver help enable engineers to maximize driving range, but it also integrates safety features to reduce external components and design complexity. And it can be easily paired with other high-voltage power-conversion products such as our UCC14141-Q1 isolated bias supply module to improve power density and help engineers reach the highest levels of traction inverter performance."

Maximize EV driving range while reducing design complexity and cost

The need for higher reliability and power performance for EVs is continuously growing, as efficiency gains have a direct impact on operating range improvement per charge. But achieving any increase in efficiency is difficult for designers, given that the majority of traction inverters already operate at 90% efficiency or higher.

By varying the gate-drive strength in real time, in steps between 20 A and 5 A, designers can improve system efficiency with the UCC5880-Q1 gate driver as much as 2% by minimizing SiC switching power losses, resulting in up to 7 more miles of EV driving range per battery charge. For an EV user who charges their vehicle three times per week, that could mean more than 1,000 additional miles per year. To learn more, read the technical article, "How to Maximize SiC Traction Inverter Efficiency with Real-Time Variable Gate Drive Strength."

In addition, the UCC5880-Q1's SPI programmability and integrated monitoring and protection features can reduce design complexity as well as external component costs. Engineers can further reduce components and quickly prototype a more efficient traction inverter system using the SiC EV Traction Inverter Reference Design. This customizable, tested design includes the UCC5880-Q1, a bias-supply power module, real-time control MCUs and high-precision sensing.

See efficient traction inverter and other high-voltage designs at PCIM Europe 2023

TI is showcasing high-voltage innovations for a sustainable future, including the UCC5880-Q1, at the 2023 Power Conversion and Intelligent Motion (PCIM) Europe conference May 9-11. Demonstrations will show system-level innovations for gallium nitride (GaN)- and SiC-based designs as well as other TI technologies to increase power density and efficiency for EVs, power supplies, energy storage systems and more. Visit TI at Hall 7, Booth No. 459, or see TI.com/PCIM for more information.

Throughout the conference, TI power experts will present in five sessions to address high voltage, high power density and low electromagnetic interference design challenges. Their schedule is available at TI.com/PCIM.

TI is committed to helping engineers unlock the power of high-voltage technology with innovations in power conversion and wide band-gap semiconductors.

Package, availability and pricing

Preproduction quantities of the automotive-grade, ISO26262-compliant UCC5880-Q1 are available now, only on TI.com, in a 10.5-mm-by-7.5-mm, 32-pin shrink small-outline package (SSOP). Pricing starts at US$5.90 in 1,000-unit quantities. Designers can purchase a new UCC5880-Q1 evaluation module for US$249. Multiple payment and shipping options are available on TI.com.

About Texas Instruments

Texas Instruments Incorporated (Nasdaq: TXN) is a global semiconductor company that designs, manufactures, tests and sells analog and embedded processing chips for markets such as industrial, automotive, personal electronics, communications equipment and enterprise systems. Our passion to create a better world by making electronics more affordable through semiconductors is alive today, as each generation of innovation builds upon the last to make our technology smaller, more efficient, more reliable and more affordable – making it possible for semiconductors to go into electronics everywhere. We think of this as Engineering Progress. It's what we do and have been doing for decades. Learn more at TI.com.

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SOURCE Texas Instruments