Electronics for Electric Vehicle Motor Systems

AC and DC motor drive electronics for electric vehicles are reviewed, as well as heatsink design criteria and motor control diagnostics. The microcontroller architectures and the motor drive programs, such as vector control or V/F, reveal trade-offs between bit lengths, clock speed, and conversion times. This paper will also focus on possible performance improvements with advanced semiconductor devices. Recent progression in power IGBT modules have improved the ease of interfacing to the power module with internal control circuits. These “smart” modules are more difficult to manufacture and place pre-defined limits on circuit flexibility. An alternative modular approach is shown.