Ideal Power, a developer and provider of the B-TRAN bidirectional semiconductor power switch, is collaborating with a fourth global Tier 1 automotive supplier that serves several top 10 global automotive OEMs. Ideal Power is engaged with multiple engineering teams of this global Tier 1 automotive supplier on the use of B-TRAN-enabled contactors as a potential replacement for electromechanical contactors in electric vehicle (EV) and hybrid EV applications.

A conventional EV contactor is an electromechanical device that disconnects electric vehicle subsystems from the vehicle’s battery in the event of a crash or fault or when the vehicle or subsystem is not operational. Contactors are a vital safety feature to control high-current and high-voltage loads to and from the battery.

Several contactors, typically 5 to 8, are used in an electric vehicle to disconnect the battery from loads such as the motor drive, heating and cooling systems, and charging systems. Automotive OEMs and their Tier 1 suppliers are looking at solid-state, or semiconductor-based, contactors as a fast acting, safer and more reliable solution for EV contactors with the added benefits of programmability and diagnostic capability.

B-TRAN-enabled solid-state contactors provide several benefits over electromechanical contactors, according to the company. They act orders of magnitude faster than electromechanical breakers, thereby eliminating arcing and improving safety, and are more reliable as they do not include physical contacts subject to wear. They have ultra-low conduction losses and are bidirectional, reducing the number of switches required in a solid-state EV contactor by half. In addition, they provide programmable settings for trip and current limits as well as built-in safety diagnostics.

B-TRAN-enabled contactors also provide significantly lower losses than EV contactors utilizing silicon carbide semiconductor devices at a lower cost. The company believes that, within the next five years, solid-state contactors will surpass electromechanical contactors in the EV market.