IEEE Power Electronics Magazine

A technology revolution is unfolding around us as every major mode of transportation is in some stage of electrification, whether on land, sea, or in the air. All of these transportation modes depend on electric machines that play critical roles in both propulsion systems as well as in a wide variety of accessory equipment. Fuel economy and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases and other pollutants are major driving forces for electrified transportation. Despite the significant differences between these varied transportation modes, they all share strong motivations to make their electric machines and adjustable-speed drives smaller, lighter, and more efficient. An excellent example of this trend for the power electronic drives is provided by comparing the drive units in the Tesla S (2012) and Tesla 3 (2017). As shown in the side-by-side views provided in Figure 1, the drive unit shrank in size from an enclosure that matched the size of its main traction motor to a much smaller unit that, at first sight, appears to be a non-descript end-bell attached to one end of the motor. Rather than focusing here on how this impressive reduction in mass and volume was achieved (addressed later in this article), the key point here is that similar technology trends are under way in many of the other transportation modes as well, making electrified transportation increasingly appealing and competitive in the process.

September 2022, Vol. 9 No. 3

FEATURES

Wide Bandgap Semiconductor-Based Power Electronics for Aviation

Totem-Pole PFC Reliability and Performance Improvement With Advanced Controls

Wide Bandgap-Based Power Electronics for Aerospace Applications

Ranking Qi Wireless Power Transmitters by Efficiency

Full-Bridge Fault- Tolerant Isolated DC–DC Converters: Overview of Technologies and Application Challenges

Industry News

Prof. Rajashekara Wins the 2022 Global Energy Prize

Wide Bandgap Devices Continue to Evolve for Aerospace Applications

Launching New Web Column “Plugging into the Industry”

PELS Announces New Partnership With WelComm, Inc.

Vicor Proposes Architecture to Eliminate 12V Battery from Electric Vehicles- 13 December 2021

China based 8-inch GaN-on-Si FET Producer Announces International Operations- 11 February 2022

Italian Startup Takes Proprietary AC/DC Architecture to Trial Production- 01 February 2022

More Suppliers Unveil High-Voltage Integrated GaN FET Solutions- 21 September 2021

Columns/Departments

IEEE PELS: 35 Years of Growth and Excellence

Accelerating the Transition to Vehicle Electrification

Getting Involved With IEEE Power Electronics Society: Successful APEC Event for WIE, YP, and You!

Silicon Alternatives to the Ubiquitous MLCC

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