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2024 Update coming soon Published Date: April 2019 No of pages: 77
As fossil fuel-powered engines get closer to prohibition, many OEMs are looking up to vehicle electrification as a savior. Battery-powered electric vehicles will not become mainstream unless battery costs come down to <$100/kWh and fast-charging infrastructure becomes commonplace. Now, manufacturers have a bridge gap or a “hybrid” solution.
A 48V Mild-hybrid/Plug-in hybrid architecture can result in a 10%-16% increase in fuel economy at an added cost of 6%-12% of the vehicle. In any case, hybridization warrants a DC-DC converter in a vehicle.
The ousting of Diesel as a fuel of choice has been driving the European market. The onset of the WLTP cycle in Europe has delivered almost a deadly blow to diesel. Share of Diesel in new car registration has gone below 35% in the top 5 EU markets in Jan-Sep 2019 and we expect it to reach <25% by 2021. Mild hybrids and Plug-in hybrids will be the biggest benefactors of this market shift, ultimately driving the automotive DC-DC converter market.
The on-board DC-DC converter has undergone many improvements in the recent past including optimization of control output, weight and size reduction, and improved NVH (noise vibration and harshness).
When Hitachi launched its 3rd gen DC-DC converter, back in 2014 it was 40% compact and 5% more efficient than the one it replaced. Similarly, Delphi launched the industry’s first combined inverter and DC/DC converter in China in July 2018.
So, far the efficiency of power electronics for automotive applications has been limited due to the use of Silicon. Going forward, we expect new materials like Sic (Silicon Carbide) to gain more traction, as it has nearly 10 times higher electric field strength and 3 times higher thermal conductivity.
Vehicle electrical systems used to be minimal, just responsible for basic lighting, ignition, and possibly powering a basic sound system. Modern automobiles, on the other hand, have significantly more complicated electrical needs, such as modern lighting systems, entertainment platforms, navigational and guidance controls, and so on.
Electric vehicles (EVs) in particular have raised the bar for power requirements, and the emergence of autonomous vehicles is adding to the complexity of power design. Changes to the on-board DC/DC converter responsible for powering this complex and diverse group of equipment are what this means for automobile electricity.
The necessity for reliable and constant power is critical for electric vehicles in particular. Traditional silicon is just not up to the task of meeting the demands of modern electric vehicles. Other new Silicon is equipped for the challenges that today’s EVs face, especially when it comes to onboard DC/DC converters, with more reliability and efficiency than any silicon-based technology.
The Automotive DC-DC Converter Market accounted for $XX Billion in 2023 and is anticipated to reach $XX Billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of XX% from 2024 to 2030.
By 2025, Eve will account for 10% of total vehicular production, as compared to ~5% in Jan-Sep 2019.48V Mild hybrids will account for a major chunk of those vehicles. China and Japan cumulatively accounted for more than 40% of the global automotive DC-DC converter market in Jan-Sep 2019. The Chinese EV sales quota of 8% in 2019, 10% in 2020, and 20% by 2025 has spurred investment in China by many foreign tier-1 electronics manufacturers. However, subsidy reduction in July 2019 has brought down EV sales in China by more than 30% in Q3-2019.
Diesel Mild- hybrids are the latest application for automotive DC-DC converters. Kia, Audi, and FCA group have announced plans to launch multiple Diesel mild-hybrid models in 2019.48V also allows for the electrification of other ancillaries like electric HVAC compressors, electric coolant pumps, electric turbochargers, electronic air suspension, etc.
China is the biggest EV DC-DC converter market at present by volume and it is majorly comprised of BEVs, which is a very sharp contrast as compared to the US, Europe, or even Asia Excluding China.
Japan had more than 25% share of HEVs in Jan-Sep 2019. We expect many long-range BEV models with connected and semi-autonomous features to be introduced in the Chinese market post-2021 from all mainstream domestic brands like Greely, JAC, Great Wall Motors, SAIC, etc, many of them are under development right now.
In Europe, Ford(6-7% market share) is aggressively looking at electrification for its best-selling cars as well as vans. It may partially exit the passenger car scene 4-5 years later and exclusively focus on the high-margin van business. Among mass segment brands, VW, Skoda, and Seat will rely on the MEB platform and low-cost BEVs.
In terms of volume, the xEV DC-DC converter market size was estimated at 4.8 Million units in 2019, growing at 23% CAGR to 2025.
By converting power from a high-voltage battery through galvanic isolation, the high-voltage DC/DC converter generation 3evo provides power to the 12 V vehicle board net. The DC/DC generation 3evo is available worldwide, offers outstanding electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) thanks to its ripple correction feature, and ensures maximum efficiency at various loads thanks to its multi-phase architecture (1,2 kW + 1,8 kW).
On the Bosch electronic engine control unit production lines, the generation 3evo is a cost-effective standalone converter developed for automotive applications. Reduced interconnects result in enhanced robustness, which is achieved by using a single-board architecture. The battery charging contactor and resistor are removed during reverse power transmission. Production of standalone DC/DC converters on Bosch electronic engine control unit production lines is cost-effective.
The BD9S402MUF-C, a new buck DC/DC converter IC with integrated MOSFET (switching regulator) was unveiled by ROHM Semiconductor for use in advanced automotive applications like infotainment and ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems) that incorporate onboard sensors and cameras. The new BD9S402MUF-C offers the compact size required by secondary power supply applications for high-performance MCUs and SoCs that require output voltages as low as 0.6V and 4A output current at switching frequencies higher than 2MHz.
Additionally, it incorporates the industry-leading 30mV stable operating voltage (measurement conditions: 5V input voltage, 1.2V output voltage, 44F output capacitance, load current variation 0 to 2A/2s).
The new Renesas Electronics Corporation automotive 48V/12V Bidirectional DC/DC Converter is powered by Gann Systems power transistors, resulting in significant power density improvements, according to the company, which is the world leader in Gan (gallium nitride) power semiconductors. The new converter reduces the system size by 46% using the GS61008P from Gan Systems, a 100V enhancement mode Gan-on-silicon power transistor. The 48V mild hybrid vehicles and electric motorcycles that need high-efficiency 48V/12V DC/DC converters are the target markets for the Renesas solution.
Gan enables high switching frequency at high efficiency, allowing for much smaller magnetics and size. In comparison to using Si-MOSFETs, Gan Systems’ Gan HEMTs allow for a 50% smaller PCB area.
A family of 48-volt DC-DC converters for commercial vehicles with diesel engines from power management company Eaton are now available. These converters can be used to power accessories like antilock brakes and lighting. In contrast to competing products, Eaton’s DC-DC converters feature 97% design efficiency and can operate in temperatures as high as 85 degrees Celsius.
The bi-directional unit further reduces the power to 12 volts for use in low-voltage systems before charging a 12-volt battery to serve as a backup power source if the main power source should fail. It has power connectors with high-power lock box (HPLB) specifics.
Royal Power Solutions, a renowned producer of high-precision electrical connectivity components that Eaton acquired earlier this year, created the HPLB connectors. A new DC-DC converter has been added to the family of automotive-compliant Diodes Incorporated products. The 600mA synchronous buck converter DIODESAP64060Q has an input voltage range of 4.5V to 40V.
It uses a 600 m high-side power MOSFET and a 300 m low-side power MOSFET to deliver high-efficiency step-down conversion that can reach 90% while taking up the least amount of PCB board space possible. The AP64060Q is intended for use in automobile exterior lighting, infotainment systems, instrument clusters, and powertrains.
Due to the AP64060Q’s extremely low quiescent current (IQ), which is typically only 90 A, light load efficiency is increased. This device supports fast switching frequencies (2MHz), allowing for the selection of smaller auxiliary inductors and capacitors. As a result of its synchronous rectification, no external Schottky diode is required, and the use of a peak current mode control and integrated loop compensation network further reduces the number of components.
Electric and hybrid vehicles are becoming more popular, increasing the demand for more efficient and adaptable DC-DC converters. As these vehicles’ range and performance increase, there is an increasing demand for DC-DC converters that can take a wider variety of input voltages and offer more output power.
Driverless Vehicles: As driverless vehicles become more common, the demand for more advanced and reliable DC-DC converters grows. These vehicles necessitate complex power management systems capable of handling a wide range of input voltages and delivering exact quantities of power to diverse components like sensors, computers, and motors.
Wireless Charging: As wireless charging technology for electric vehicles advances, there is a greater demand for more compact and efficient DC-DC converters. These converters must be capable of handling high-frequency signals while also delivering exact quantities of power to the vehicle’s battery without adding interference or noise.
Advanced Safety Features: As electric and hybrid vehicles become more popular, there is a greater demand for safe and dependable DC-DC converters. To ensure the safe operation of these vehicles, manufacturers are creating enhanced safety features including overvoltage and overcurrent protection, short circuit protection, and thermal protection.
Integration with Energy Storage Systems: In the automobile industry, the integration of DC-DC converters with energy storage systems is becoming increasingly significant. These technologies can assist in balancing the load on the vehicle’s battery and increasing overall efficiency. High demand exists for DC-DC converters that are designed to integrate seamlessly with energy storage systems.
The DC-DC converter market has more than 10 vendors and the top 9 listed below accounted for a major chunk of the market in 2018. As this power electronics component requires high expertise and robust validation, the barriers to entry are significantly high. Thus, we have only the established tier-1s supplying this component to the OEMs. Toyota Industries, Continental AG, Delta Electronics, and Valeo are the leading players in the automotive DC-DC converter market globally.
Suppliers like Continental and Hyundai Mobis have an edge over other suppliers in the automotive DC-DC converter market as they offer complete 48V mild hybrid systems ( to OEMs as opposed to other suppliers who offer individual hybridization components.
Toyota Industries developed its new DC-DC converter for electrified vehicles to convert high voltage from the battery to the low voltage required for auxiliary batteries and devices. This converter has a high heat-dissipation thick copper substrate which results in smaller and more light-weighted DC-DC converter
In August 2021, BorgWarner and Delphi Technologies signed a contract with the China Mobility market to supply its dual inverters for two premier Chinese OEMs to be featured on both hybrid electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle versions of the GWM LEMON platform. The production for the GWM dual inverter is currently underway, with and without a DC-DC converter option.
Most of the suppliers have launched new and improved products to improve their positioning in the market. Some of the suppliers offer DC converters as a standalone sub-component, whereas some offer it as a part of a complete 48V mild hybrid system. In terms of inorganic growth, there have been very few partnerships and almost no acquisitions in the automotive DC-DC converter market.
To capitalize on the growing automotive DC-DC converter market volume, suppliers have devised diversified strategies. Eaton created a new E-mobility business in June 2018, to supply power electronics to the passenger and commercial vehicle market. Continental partnered with China-based battery manufacturer CITC in March 2018 to supply a complete 48V mild hybrid system.
