Join us for a 1-hour on-demand webinar on our new solid-state technologies designed to replace electromechanical relays in electric vehicles. We will focus on our recently released silicon-controlled rectifiers (thyristors) for 400 V lithium-ion battery packs and look at our SCR roadmap for pre-charge and discharge solutions up to 800 V.

While today's electric vehicles rely on a 400 V battery as the main power source, current trends are moving towards an 800 V architecture. An increased voltage allows for faster charging as the lower current reduces overheating in the charging cables, which also leads to a lighter wiring harness.

Delivering power to all critical systems, a vehicle's power distribution unit (PDU) is designed to protect electronic components and vehicle occupants. In addition to a pre-charge circuit between the battery and the high-voltage bus that limits the inrush current when starting or charging the vehicle, the PDU is required to include an "emergency" disconnect switch for the battery and a discharge circuit for the HVDC bus for safety reasons in the event of an accident.

You will learn how our automotive-grade thyristors offer superior performance in peak voltage robustness and surge current handling at higher temperatures than traditional electromechanical relays.

What you will learn:

• Benefits of using a solid-state solution to replace electromechanical relays
  
• Useful tips for designing EV diagnostics and safety monitoring systems
  
• Ways to improve the resilience and reliability of a vehicle's power distribution unit (PDU)
  
• Considerations for reducing maintenance costs with multi-operation management of EV charge/discharge cycles
  

Agenda

• Why discharging the HV bus is important and how to do it safely
  
• Why pre-charge circuits are necessary and guidelines for a successful implementation
• Why thyristor-based solid-state switches are the best choice for discharge and pre-charge circuits
• Overview of ST's silicon-controlled rectifier (thyristor) portfolio and performance benchmark results
• Reference designs and schematics for effective discharge and pre-charge circuits