3 semiconductor technologies that are redefining the EV experience

Jerry Shi, general manager of hybrid electric vehicles/electric vehicles and powertrain, authored this article.

A few years ago, my family and I climbed into our electric vehicle (EV) for a weeklong road trip. Amid enjoyable memories of marveling at shimmering lakes and singing songs, there were a couple of less-convenient ones, such as stopping to charge the vehicle for over an hour even though we were close to our destination.

Today’s EV drivers are traveling farther between charges. Charging times previously measured in hours are now measured in minutes. Battery systems are smarter, helping vehicles operate more consistently and with greater confidence. EVs are becoming a practical option rather than a preferential one.

Those improvements didn’t happen without effort. Behind every breakthrough in EV performance is years of engineering innovation that requires semiconductors, and it starts with understanding drivers’ expectations.

How collaboration inspired innovation

To understand the technology redefining EVs, the story doesn’t start at TI – it starts with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). OEMs produce parts or components for other companies’ products. The OEMs we work with at TI can range from automakers acting as their own OEMs to suppliers of automotive products such as tires or braking systems.

Five years ago, engagement between semiconductor manufacturers like TI and automakers often began after automakers defined architectures for their next generations of vehicles. But that model has changed, and it’s accelerating how quickly new capabilities reach the road.

Today, we collaborate with manufacturers earlier. Instead of optimizing components independently, we align semiconductor developments with drivers’ real-world demands. The outputs of this relationship are enabling drivers to reconsider when and how they use their EV.

3 technologies that are shaping EVs into everyday cars

Collaboration with OEMs at an earlier stage enables us to shape battery management strategies, charging topologies and power-conversion architectures at the beginning of the design process. OEMs have a better understanding of semiconductors, and our devices more directly address driver expectations and needs.

We’ve learned from manufacturers that drivers want to feel confident about using EVs regardless of trip length or distance from chargers. Thus, our engineers must rethink the battery: how it’s managed, how it charges, and how efficiently it turns stored energy into motion. There are three innovations we’re working on today that are paving the way for EVs’ evolution. 

1. Predictive battery management starts with deeper visibility into battery health. Drivers want to know whether their vehicle will perform consistently in every situation, from daily commutes to road trips and even in extreme temperatures.

We’re advancing predictive battery management through technologies such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which enables battery management systems to detect changes such as state of charge, temperature, aging or charge imbalance in the cells of a battery pack using model-based algorithms or edge artificial intelligence.

Careful monitoring of cell behavior allows OEMs to implement protective features. Sensing and data analysis in real time make it possible to detect and address risks earlier, improving battery safety and performance and extending pack life. Drivers can expect fewer unexpected drops in range, greater reliability and earlier safety alerts. A longer battery life lowers overall ownership costs as well.

2. Higher power density charging is also important when making EVs more convenient for everyday use. At TI, we’re enabling faster charging through new onboard charger topologies, such as single-stage matrix designs, that deliver more power in a smaller footprint while simplifying system architectures. By increasing power density and improving efficiency with a single power-conversion stage, automakers can shorten charging times without compromising performance.

Charging is thus becoming faster and more predictable for drivers. And for OEMs, more efficient charging designs can reduce system weight and cost, lowering the cost of bringing EVs to market.

3. Extended vehicle range remains a persistent driver demand that OEMs have identified, as well as an engineering challenge. A longer range depends on how efficiently the powertrain manages energy. Advances in power electronics and optimized control improve how effectively stored energy becomes motion. At TI, we are working on advances in motion control, such as optimal pulse positioning algorithms, that improve traction inverter efficiency by minimizing energy loss. EVs can then go farther on a single charge, while drivers experience faster acceleration and a smoother, quieter ride.

What the next era of EV driving looks like

Until my family’s road trip a few years ago, we had only used our EV for day-to-day errands where we knew that our range would exceed our mileage, such as visits to the grocery store.

But because I was working with my team and OEMs on the technologies actively redefining the EV experience, I knew that our road trip would be the first of many.

With the technologies we’re developing, extended vehicle range is making long-distance travel more enjoyable. High-power charging is shortening wait times to rival that of gas station fill-ups. And predictive battery management is bringing intelligence to safety-critical functions.

As semiconductors continue to advance and collaboration with OEMs deepens, we’re responding to the challenges drivers are experiencing today and anticipating tomorrow’s opportunities to make the EV driving experience more intelligent, reliable and convenient.