Comparative Analysis of a Low-Voltage CHB Inverter Without PWM and Two-Level IGBT/SiC Inverters for Electric Vehicles on Driving Cycles

Pongnot, Gaël; Desreveaux, Anatole; Mayet, Clément; Labrousse, Denis; Roy, Francis · 2025 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1109/ojvt.2025.3531652

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Summary

This study addresses the need for improved energy efficiency and modularity in electric vehicle (EV) powertrains to support global decarbonization goals. It specifically evaluates the performance of a low-voltage Cascaded H-Bridge (CHB) inverter utilizing 24 modules per phase and Silicon MOSFETs, comparing it against standard two-level inverters (2LI) using IGBT and Silicon Carbide (SiC) technologies. The research is motivated by the potential of CHB architectures to enhance battery safety, repairability, and system resilience, while eliminating the need for an onboard charger by integrating energy storage directly with power electronics. To enable a fair and comprehensive comparison, the authors developed a novel system-level modeling methodology using Energetic Macroscopic Representation (EMR). This approach captures reciprocal interactions between all subsystems—from battery cells to the vehicle chassis—rather than analyzing components in isolation. The CHB inverter employs Nearest Level Control (NLC) to minimize switching losses, a strategy that requires detailed simulation due to its non-averaged nature. To manage computational costs, the study separates electrical and mechanical simulations: electrical dynamics are simulated to generate efficiency maps in the torque-speed field, which are then combined with mechanical vehicle models to evaluate performance across realistic driving cycles. The simulation model was experimentally validated using a 30 kWh, 72-module CHB prototype, with efficiency estimates differing by less than two percentage points from measured data. The results demonstrate that while the CHB architecture incurs higher battery losses due to the increased number of cells, it achieves superior overall efficiency in specific operating conditions. In the torque-speed field, the CHB inverter maintains efficiency above 90% at speeds exceeding 400 rpm, whereas the SiC 2LI requires speeds above 1200 rpm to reach similar efficiency levels. Consequently, during urban driving cycles characterized by low speeds and frequent stops, the CHB-based powertrain exhibits reduced energy consumption compared to both IGBT and SiC 2LI configurations. The CHB also shows smaller inefficient regions during regenerative braking, further enhancing its suitability for commuter vehicles. The significance of this work lies in its validation of low-voltage, high-modularity CHB inverters as a compelling alternative for sustainable urban EVs. By demonstrating that the efficiency gains in the power electronics and motor outweigh the additional battery losses in urban scenarios, the study challenges the dominance of high-voltage 2LI architectures for certain applications. The proposed EMR-based simulation methodology provides a robust framework for evaluating complex, multi-source energy systems, offering a tool for future design optimization that accounts for the full powertrain rather than isolated components.

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• simulator validity fidelity