Powering the Future of Electric Mobility: Next-Gen Bidirectional Electric Vehicle Chargers Using Innovative Power Electronics and Magnetic Design

In the context of the ongoing energy transition and the electrification of mobility, flexible energy

storage is pivotal to support the increasing share of renewable energy sources (RES) and their

intermitted, weather dependant energy production. Electric vehicles (EV) can a provide substantial

battery capacity using smart vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging. Hereby, the EV can be charged during

the night at low demand or during the day with predominantly RES energy. Then at peak demand, it

can supply some of its energy back to the grid. However, V2G adoption requires disruptive technical

improvements to the on-board charger (OBC) of EVs. Effective use of V2G relies on ultra-efficient

power transfer and ultra-compact chargers due to the strict automotive packaging limitations. This

research will design, model, build, and analyse the next generation of V2G capable OBCs.

Breakthrough efficiency and power density will be achieved using innovative power electronic

concepts such as novel wide bandgap switches, custom planar magnetics, controllable magnetic

components, and innovative topologies. The expected result is a state-of-the-art 11kW V2G capable

OBC with 6kW/l power density and a 98.5% efficiency over the whole charging cycle. Furthermore,

the accurate and validated OBC models will be used to develop detailed charging guidelines. These

models and guidelines will then support the implementation of V2G in the design of future charging

infrastructure in microgrids and smart grids.