A Drivetrain Integrated DC Fast Charger With Buck and Boost Functionality and Simultaneous Drive/Charge Capability

Electric vehicles have the potential to change the global driving paradigm, significantly reducing the environmental impact of transportation systems. However, charging infrastructure cost and range anxiety impose challenges on rapid technology adoption. This paper proposes an onboard integrated dc charger, leveraging the traction inverter, and motor winding inductance to ensure the minimum incremental mass. The proposed circuit allows the vehicle to connect directly to emerging dc microgrids, utility storage, or renewable energy resources. The system is compatible with power supply voltages higher or lower than the vehicle battery, offering the possibility to charge 400-V batteries from emerging 1000-V supplies, as well as 800-V battery from the existing 600-V dc interfaces. The presented method also provides bidirectional fault blocking capability and bidirectional power transfer, suitable for V2G, G2V, or V2V operation. In addition, this paper proposes simultaneous driving and charging, especially useful for semitrailer trucks applications, significantly increasing operational range. The solution presented in this paper offers a simple and safe charging scheme with the potential to substantially reduce charging infrastructure cost and address range anxiety.