Efficient, compact and multifunctional electrical power conversion is a core enabling technology for low carbon vehicles. However, despite its importance, the development of electrical power conversion systems in vehicles has evolved in a piecemeal fashion.

This project looks at the critical enabling technologies and design methods that will facilitate a fully integrated vehicle electrical power conversion system. The main objectives are:

• Cost: to undertake rigorous cost, reliability, and performance analyses of adopting the proposed technology based on concept demonstrators, to ensure these are driven in the desired direction

• Power density: to advance the state-of-art in compact and reliable power semiconductor devices, passive components and electrical machines, alongside reliable packaging and thermal management technologies

• Tools: to develop integrated design multiphysics design tools for power electronic converters and electrical machines with an emphasis on thermal and reliability analyses

These can be summarised as reduced cost and increased power density. In addition there are numerous other system benefits that integration will deliver, namely:

• Increased Efficiency
• Enhanced Reliability
• Manufacturability
• Functionality

To address these issues, a great deal of underpinning basic research will be carried out through six key research themes (semiconductors, design tools, packaging, motors, converters, and passives) as outlined in the schematic below.

The new design tools, power electronic devices, and motor drives developed through the project will be validated using a number of technology demonstrators, with a view to quantifying the carbon savings and other key benefits.