Impact of SiC power electronic devices for hybrid electric vehicles

The superior properties of silicon carbide (SiC) power electronic devices compared with silicon (Si) are expected to have a significant impact on next-generation vehicles, especially hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs). The system-level benefits of using SiC devices in HEVs include a large reduction in the size, weight, and cost of the power conditioning and/or thermal systems. However, the expected performance characteristics of the various semiconductor devices and the impact that these devices could have in applications are not well understood. Simulation tools have been developed and are demonstrated for SiC devices in relevant transportation applications. These tools have been verified by experimental analysis of SiC diodes and MOSFETs and can be used to assess the impact of expected performance gains in SiC devices and determine areas of greatest impact in HEV systems