Adoption of wide bandgap technology in hybrid/electric vehicles-opportunities and challenges

Wide bandgap devices are widely believed to be the enabler of the next generation power electronic systems due to their superior characteristics such as low loss, high speed, and high temperature operating capabilities. In the automotive industry, wide bandgap devices will also be a game changer in many aspects of the hybrid/electric vehicles, most notably in the electric propulsion and battery charging systems. This paper will present a comprehensive review of the wide bandgap power switching devices and their adoption in hybrid/electric vehicles.