Cleverly combined: New Charger-Converters for Electric Vehicles

Bosch Research and the Technical University of Munich, Chair of High-Performance Converter Systems (HLU) led by Prof. Heldwein, are working together on innovative solutions for future "Charger-Converters". The Charger-Converter is a key component in electric vehicles that integrates two functions: (1) charging the high-voltage battery from the AC power grid and (2) transferring energy between the high-voltage and low-voltage systems of the vehicle.

The combined Charger-Converter is a key component in electric vehicles that fulfills two main functions: firstly, it serves to charge the high-voltage battery from the power grid, and secondly, it enables energy transfer between the high-voltage and low-voltage electrical systems of the vehicle which are necessary for lighting, air conditioning, infotainment, and other comfort functions. By integrating these functions, the Charger-Converter enables efficient conversion and transmission of energy between the two electrical systems of the vehicle and ensures that energy in the vehicle is used efficiently and optimally.

The main objectives of this partnership with TU Munich are to achieve significant improvements in power density and efficiency of future Charger-Converters through groundbreaking new concepts. A strong focus is on alternative power converter topologies, advanced modulation techniques, and the reduction of passive component size. The partnership will begin with a theoretical analysis, followed by the construction of hardware demonstrators that will be validated in a laboratory environment at TU Munich and at Bosch Research. The results of the partnership will be incorporated into future Bosch product generations, contributing to higher energy efficiency and sustainability of electric vehicles.