(April 26, 2012) New Generation of Power Electronics by Continental Makes Electric Cars Even More Efficient
* 30 percent reduction in size and weight,
more powerful semiconductors
* Modular and scalable design covers broad
spectrum
* Already in series production in some
electric cars and for Audi Q5 hybrid Quattro
Resenburg / Nuremberg / Vienna. Smaller,
lighter, and more powerful – those are the attributes that characterize the
latest generation of power electronics, developed by the international
automotive supplier Continental for electric drive train applications. In
figures, the highly integrated module has a continuous power of 20 kilowatts at
a weight of only eight kilograms and just five liters of space. Mass and volume
are about 33 percent less than in the previous generation. This was possible
due to the integration of two modules: The inverter and the DC-DC converter are
now assembled in a single housing.