On October 16, 2024, Vicor released three automotive-grade power modules for 48V electric vehicle power systems. These modules provide industry-leading power density to meet the production needs of automakers and Tier 1 suppliers in 2025. The BCM6135, DCM3735, and PRM3735 use AEC-Q100 certified ICs designed by Vicor and have completed the PPAP (Production Part Approval Process) process with automotive customers.
"With these small, scalable and flexible power modules, Vicor is setting a new power density benchmark for the automotive industry," said Patrick Wadden who is vice president of Vicor's automotive business. "Our high-performance converters open up new possibilities for automakers, enabling them to reduce the size and weight of power systems throughout the vehicle."
The BCM6135 is a 2.5kW BCM® bus converter with up to 98% efficiency that can convert the 800V voltage of the traction battery to 48V to provide a safe extra-low voltage (SELV) power supply for the vehicle. The BCM6135 provides isolation between high and low voltage internally, greatly reducing the space required for DC-DC conversion. The BCM6135's power density of up to 158kW/L enables EV system designers to reduce the size of the main DC-DC converter and reduce vehicle weight. The bi-directional fast current transient response rate of 8 megaamps per second enables the BCM6135 to replace a 25-pound 48V battery as a virtual 48V battery in a variety of electric vehicles, further saving cost and weight.
The DCM3735 is a 2.0kW DCM™ DC-DC converter that converts an unregulated 48V input voltage to a regulated 12V output voltage. The DCM3735 has a wide input range, making it suitable for a variety of automotive applications as the output voltage can be flexibly adjusted from 8 – 16V. The power density of the DCM3735 is 300kW/L, making it an ideal choice for architectures that bridge 48V power distribution units to 12V subsystems in regional ECU applications.
The PRM3735 is a 2.5kW PRM™ regulator for 48V power systems with 99.2% efficiency. Its small size and 260kW/L power density can save packaging space, reduce the size of the DC-DC power supply and reduce weight. It is best suited to support the regulated 48V loads implemented in new vehicle architectures.
The newly released Vicor modules can be combined into more than 300 configurations, providing great flexibility and scalability to support innovation in various vehicle subsystems. In addition, as the market shifts from 12V to 48V regional architectures, these products make the conversion between various voltages and 48V extremely efficient. All three modules can be easily arranged to increase power supply power, and they have automatic power sharing functions for optimal performance. These modular solutions solve the complex challenges of 800V, 400V, 48V and 12V systems.
Vicor power modules are improving the power supply network throughout the vehicle in innovative ways:
* Active suspension in electric vehicles is maturing
* Complete elimination or reduction of low-voltage batteries
* The adoption of 48V regional architecture is the general trend
* Pre-charging prevents inrush current and reduces weight