RHODaS project aims at developing disruptive topologies of power converters using new semiconductor materials as well as cutting-edge digital technologies to improve architecture efficiency, power density, reliability, cost and sustainability. Moreover, multi-disciplinary approaches of modular power electronics for Integrated Motor Drive (IMD) and ecodesign considerations are addressed, to create compact solutions that can be integrated in a wide range and heavy-duty vehicles, enabling these electric vehicles to be more sustainable and autonomous throughout the entire lifecycle of their components. Nevertheless, power electronics solutions that use Wide Band Gap (WBG) devices can also be applied to light-duty vehicle types M and L, with competitive advantages on the efficiency and power densities compared with current technologies. Finally, the RHODaS project targets the validation of the proposed solutions in electric drivetrains of 1200V for zero emissions class N3 (carriage of goods > 12 tonnes) and O4 (trailers >10 Tonnes), which correspond to USA Class 7-8 heavy duty vehicles (>12 Tonnes) and beyond.

The need for common, scalable and brand-independent technology platforms for the key elements of EV, like the inverter-motor-transmission/gearbox (powertrain) and the battery, is evident. The project 1000kmPLUS will ensure the superiority of European automotive key technologies in terms of performance, scalability and costs for the 2nd and 3rd generation of EV. The EV powertrain and battery technologies must now start to mature, in order to fulfil existential human mobility needs in terms of affordability and usability: this is the key to enter the early mass market. It assumes ramp-up of series production and affordability by economies of scale. 1000kmPLUS will provide key arguments regarding the usability of the 2nd generation of EV to the Early Majority customers. Further, it will speed up the development and the ramp-up of series production of the 3rd EV generation. To obtain breakthroughs in terms of energy efficiency, driving range, charging and costs, the 1000kmPLUS project develops a Scalable European Powertrain Technology Platform (SEPtop@SiC), which will define automotive powertrains for EV as commodities. It will use 1200 V SiC-MOSFETs to enable a 400 V/800 V cross-compatible inverter-motor-gearbox combo, scalable as a function of the required performance. Furthermore, ultra-fast charging up to 350 kW for everyday use will be demonstrated in an EV providing an initial driving range of 500 km based on its battery energy capacity. The 1000kmPLUS project will enable, demonstrate and set up European mass production capabilities of EV key components (inverter, motor, transmission, SiC-MOSFET power modules, battery cells) by Europe´s leading automotive companies. Further, it will build ECS value chains with focus on quality, safety, efficiency and costs. The 1000kmPLUS project will build up a Mercedes-Benz EQ vehicle to demonstrate the project achievements by performing 3 challenges, representing real use cases for business as well as private travellers.

FastLane targets a full, highly competitive and sustainable European value chain for Silicon Carbide (SiC) based power electronics. The goal is to provide a competitive technology excellence from engineered SiC substrates to novel devices, smart power modules and converters to broadened automotive and industrial applications. The next generation of SiC materials will be developed by improved quality of the crystalline starting material, material re-use and acceleration of substrate EU-based manufacturing. Based on the new materials the next generation SiC MOSFET power devices will be developed overcoming current limitations regarding efficiency, performance, robustness and sustainability and will integrate also new on-chip sensing technology. Power modules based on the devices will be further improved by several innovations, e.g. advanced sintering which will lead to improved power module reliability and therefore better sustainability. On component level, highly efficient and reliable inverters for automotive and industrial applications will be developed, including a variety of innovations in detail. In all steps, an improvement of SiC material characterization methodologies will increase the quality and the output of EU based semiconductors. Overall, performance and reliability are expected to increase greatly in all steps. These developments will lead to an overall reduction of cost and, by reduction of the footprint (lifetime increase, CO2 decrease, water consumption decrease), to a greener economy. With the envisioned goals, FastLane will decrease the environmental footprint all along the product lifecycle and contribute to the European Green Deal and ensure a sustainable European sovereignty in power electronics. Cost benefits for the end user will be achieved by the reuse of the automotive economy of scale. With these steps, FastLane contributes to the European societal goals and a greener economy.

GaN4AP project has the ambitious target of making the GaN-based electronics to become the main power active device present in all power converter systems, with the possibility of developing a close-to-zero energy loss power electronic systems. GaN4AP project will… 1. Develop innovative Power Electronic Systems for power conversion and management with advanced architecture and circuit topology based on state of the art GaN-based High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) available in a new concept high-frequency packages that can achieve the requested 99% power conversion efficiency. 2. Develop an innovative material (Aluminium Scandium Nitride, AlScN) that combined with advanced growth and process solutions can provide outstanding physical properties for highly efficient power transistors. Therefore, a new HEMT device architecture will be fabricated with much higher current (2x) and power density (2x) than existing transistors. 3. Develop a new generation of vertical power GaN-based devices on MOSFET architecture with vertical p-GaN inversion channel for safe power switching up to 1200 V. We will cover all the production chain from the device design, processing and characterization up to tests in low inductance half bridge power modules and their implementation in high speed power switching systems. 4. Develop a new intelligent and integrated GaN solutions (STi2GaN) both in System in Package (SiP) and Monolithic variances, that will allow the generation of E-Mobility power converters. The projects will focus on scalable concept for 48V-12V bidirectional Buck Boost converters for conventional and ADAS applications combining, in a novel wire-bond free package, a state of the art BCD driver & controller along with a common substrate Monolithic 100V e-GaN Half Bridge. The development of new device technologies and innovative power circuits, employing the GaN-based devices is a crucial factor for the world-wide competitiveness of EU industries.

HiPower 5.0 is driven by the challenges and ambitions addressed in the Green Deal and in the Chips Act, to develop new power electronics solutions to ensure Green Deal targets and to foster a resilient and leading edge all-European Value Chain, for tomorrow’s mobility solutions. Therefore, HiPower 5.0 aims for developing highly integrated eDrive components for the automotive and maritime domain using leading edge wide bandgap semiconductors and power electronics integration technologies. This includes the development of new GaN wafer materials with superior performance, first time 850 V monolithically integrated bidirectional GaN switches, enabling new topologies and unprecedented efficiency levels of 99%, as well as 1200 V GaN switches fitting the needs of 800 V battery electric vehicles. When developing these solutions, a resource-efficient and reliable design is considered to minimize CO2 footprint and extent the lifetime of power electronics components. Firstly, multi-physics simulation with its ability to model the complex interactions between electrical, thermal, electro-magnetic, and mechanical phenomena will be used. By simulating these interactions, the system design can be optimized while performances can be predicted under various operating conditions, reducing the need for prototyping, and cutting both time and costs of development. Secondly, new ageing models and prognostics concepts will be developed to finally enable an according evaluation of the set targets of the single applications. Supported by innovations in power electronics control and cooling the lifetime and reliability will be further enhanced. To achieve these targets, the HiPower 5.0 consortium is composed along the whole value chain, starting from the GaN wafer and chips development, up to automotive and maritime Tier1/OEMs. This is accompanied by leading European universities and research organizations, guaranteeing a significant economic and scientific impact of the proposed work.