Automotive
Battery Charging & Management
Click image to enlarge
Figure 1: Functional blocks for ams’s two-chip sensor interface for high-side automotive battery current sensing.
Manufacturers are electrifying more functions within a car, reducing the mechanical load on the internal-combustion engine.
These functions include water, oil, and fuel pumps; valve actuation; and power steering, in addition to safety, navigation, and infotainment systems. As the power load
. . . Read More
Date:
8/28/2012
Global automakers from the United States and Germany will demonstrate fast-charging technology that will enable the recharging of most electrified vehicles with compatible systems in as little as 15-20 minutes.
Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Daimler, Ford, General Motors, Porsche and Volkswagen have agreed
. . . Read More
Date:
5/7/2012
.jpg)
ZMD AG (ZMDI) announces the ZSSC1856. As a global supplier of analog and mixed-signal solutions for automotive, industrial, medical, information technology and consumer applications, ZMDI introduces the first member of a new Battery Power Management product line. The ZSSC1856 features two high-precision
. . . Read More
Date:
4/26/2012
IBM has announced that it has teamed with American Honda Motor Co., Inc. and Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) on a new pilot project that will allow communication between electric vehicles (EVs) and the power grid. This project will demonstrate and test an electric vehicle's ability to receive
. . . Read More
Date:
4/17/2012
Click on image to enlarge
The Bergquist Company Increases Capacity at Prescott Facility by Adding Advanced New Production Line
The Bergquist Company has expanded its Thermal Substrates facilities in Prescott, Wisconsin (USA), adding extra capacity using state-of-the-art automation that minimises waste thereby enhancing environmental performance.
The newly completed project now gives Bergquist an additional production line
. . . Read More
Date:
2/29/2012
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Dual 3A, 42V Boost, Inverting or SEPIC DC/DC Converter
Linear Technology Corporation announces the LT8582, a dual independent channel, step-up DC/DC converter with integrated fault protection features for output shorts, input/output overvoltages, and overtemperature conditions. Each channel of the LT8582 uses two integrated 42V switches: a 1.7A master switch
. . . Read More
Date:
1/26/2012
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Stackpole Electronics Inc. announced the addition of the 1210 size to the CSR / CSRN Series of thick film SMD current sensing chip resistors. The CSR1210 has a 0.5 watt power rating and can achieve resistance values from 0.01 ohms up to 1 ohm in tolerances as low as 1%. Kory Schroeder, Stackpole's
. . . Read More
Date:
1/26/2012
The US 0.8 Charger joins the growing list of the Smartest Battery Chargers in the World, offers state of the art technology and can be used for charging smaller 12 V batteries such as those found in motorcycles, jet skis, ATVs and lawnmowers. It is also suitable for maintenance charging “normal-sized”
. . . Read More
Date:
1/21/2012
Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) announced today that Bombardier Transportation, a leading producer of rail vehicles and rail transportation equipment, systems and services, has selected Maxwell ultracapacitors as the energy storage element of the BOMBARDIER* EnerGstor*® braking energy recuperation
. . . Read More
Date:
1/19/2012
Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top design engineering resource and global distributor for semiconductors and electronic components, today announced it is stocking components in support of the Wireless Power Consortium’s Qi (pronounced “chee”) global standards for interoperability between wireless
. . . Read More
Date:
1/18/2012
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, 4R Energy, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) and Sumitomo Corporation of America have formed a partnership to evaluate the reuse of lithium-ion battery packs that power the Nissan LEAF, the world’s first and only all-electric car designed for the
. . . Read More
Date:
1/18/2012
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Ioxus, Inc., a manufacturer of premium performance ultracapacitor technology for transportation, alternative energy, medical, industrial and consumer product markets, today announced its new iCAP™ 3,000 Farad (F) ultracapacitor, the first size in a new family of cell products. Ioxus iCAP ultracapacitors
. . . Read More
Date:
1/17/2012
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Larson Electronics’ Magnalight.com announced today the release of two new portable 12 VDC battery packs designed to power spotlights, searchlights and similar equipment drawing less than 8.8 amps. The Magnalight RLI-12 and MBP-12-9 portable lithium ion battery packs allow operators to power their 12
. . . Read More
Date:
1/9/2012
.jpg)
Tony Armstrong, Linear’s Power Marketing Director
I had the great pleasure to talk with Tony Armstrong, Linear’s Power Marketing Director He is responsible for all aspects of the power conversion and management products from conception through obsolescing. He told me about the company’s latest innovation – a very special one - the LTC3115-1, a very
. . . Read More
Date:
11/21/2011
.jpg)
I had the pleasure to meet with the leaders of a new company, Amantys, who are fast becoming a formidable force in the power industry. Bryn Parry, Managing Director who was previously General Manager of the Development Systems Division at ARM Ltd; Mark Snook, Technical Director, who has extensive
. . . Read More
Date:
11/11/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Dual, Monolithic 4A Low Loss PowerPath™ Ideal Diodes
Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTC4415, a monolithic two-channel 4A PowerPath™ ideal diode device designed to reduce heat, voltage drop and board space while preserving battery run time in power switchover circuits. The LTC4415 is ideal for applications requiring an ideal Diode-ORing function
. . . Read More
Date:
11/11/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
ZMD AG, a global supplier of energy-efficient analog and mixed-signal solutions for automotive, industrial, and medical applications, is proud to announce the ZSSC1856, a new Intelligent Battery Sensor IC for fuel saving start/stop systems and other solutions for measuring State-of-health (SOH), State-of-charge
. . . Read More
Date:
11/9/2011
Leviton, a leading global manufacturer of electrical devices, and Ford Motor Company today announced the new Ford Electric Vehicle (EV) Home Charging Station has achieved UL certification for UL 2231, UL 2251 and UL 2594. The new Level 2 EV charging device, designed exclusively for Ford, is also compatible
. . . Read More
Date:
10/11/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
I2C Temperature, Current & Voltage Monitor
Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTC2991, an 8-channel I2C temperature, voltage and current monitor for 3V and 5V systems. The LTC2991 is a highly integrated monitoring solution that incorporates a 14-bit ADC, 10ppm/°C voltage reference and I2C digital interface to provide submillivolt
. . . Read More
Date:
9/2/2011
.jpg)
Amphenol Industrial, a global leader in interconnect systems, has introduced a new high amperage, single pole, plastic circular power connector for benign environment power applications. The Amphe-PPC is ideal for outdoor power supply, control systems and communications environments in various industrial
. . . Read More
Date:
8/29/2011
.jpg)
The new 5-position Micro USB receptacle from SUYIN’s 020039MB005S507ZL model series features a reverse-bottom, type AB design, and is thus suited for mounting on the underside of printed circuit boards. The AB label means that the receptacle can accommodate both Micro-A (rectangular housing) and Micro-B
. . . Read More
Date:
8/29/2011
It is rare to get a glimpse into the past, but researching the electric vehicle industry at the moment gives a fascinating insight into the twilight years of the 19th century when Diesel, Benz, and others were leaving their indelible mark on a coming century of automotive transport.
Electric
. . . Read More
Date:
8/17/2011
Click image to enlarge
Fig. 1. Unit sales of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and electric vehicles (EVs) is forecast to surpass 1 million vehicles by 2015 with strong growth in North America, Western Europe, and the Asia Pacific region. (Source: Pike Research)
Over the next few years, the adoption of electric vehicles is expected to accelerate as more consumers across the globe adopt plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) and battery-only electric vehicles (EVs). With their extensive requirements for power management, the development of these plug-in
. . . Read More
Date:
8/16/2011
Click image to enlarge
Figure 1: Boost Buck Structure
A main challenge for an automotive power system designer is to deal with the 12V car battery voltage fluctuations. The battery voltage can drop significantly during load crank.
This voltage drop can aversely affect the infotainment system and other electronic devices powered from the battery.
. . . Read More
Date:
8/15/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
With growing interest and investment in electric vehicles and support infrastructure a new specialist website for charging connectors and cables for electric vehicles goes live on 15th August. ecarconnectors provides a convenient single source for developers, manufacturers and after-market sales of
. . . Read More
Date:
8/15/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Linear's 150mA Supercap Charger with PowerPath™ Control & Auto Cell Balancing
Linear Technology Corporation introduces the LTC3226, an inductorless supercapacitor charger with backup PowerPath™ controller for Li-ion or other low-voltage system rails in applications that require short term backup power. The
. . . Read More
Date:
7/27/2011
.jpg)
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE:TXN) today introduced the industry’s first fully integrated battery protection and cell-balancing solution for Li-Ion and lithium iron phosphate battery packs. The bq77910 battery management and protection device can manage 4- to 10-cell battery packs, and two
. . . Read More
Date:
7/20/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Rogers Corporation’s Power Distribution Systems Division has announced an innovative new solution for emerging power electronics applications: RO-LINX® PowerCircuit™ busbars. The PowerCircuit solution was developed to meet the growing power distribution demands in electric vehicle (EV) drives, hybrid
. . . Read More
Date:
7/16/2011
.jpg)
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM), a global semiconductor leader serving customers across the spectrum of electronics applications, is enhancing its powerline communication (PLC) capabilities with the completion of its acquisition of the semiconductor assets and intellectual property of Arkados.
Arkados
. . . Read More
Date:
7/6/2011
.jpg)
Himag Chairman, Colin Day, and Dean Curran, Managing Director, Himag Solutions, with the company's recently won Shell award
Himag Solutions Ltd. (a private UK based company) announced today that it has entered into a strategic alliance with Rogers Corporation (NYSE: ROG), Connecticut, USA. Himag is a technology company that provides custom planar magnetic products. This alliance leverages Himag’s planar transformer technology
. . . Read More
Date:
7/5/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. (NYSE: VSH) today launched 34 new 600 V FRED Pt® Hyperfast and Ultrafast rectifiers in six power packages. Combining extremely fast and soft recovery time with low forward voltage drop and reverse recovery charge, the new devices reduce switching and conduction losses in
. . . Read More
Date:
7/2/2011
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, announced today the acquisition of Epyon B.V., an early leader in electric vehicle charging infrastructure solutions focusing on direct current (DC) fast-charging stations and network charger software. The acquisition is in line with ABB's strategy
. . . Read More
Date:
7/2/2011
.jpg)
Meggitt Sensing Systems, a Meggitt group division, has announced the global market introduction of the Endevco® model 4416B, a portable, compact, low-noise battery operated signal conditioner and power supply, designed to support ISOTRON® (IEPE-type) accelerometers; prepolarized condenser microphones
. . . Read More
Date:
6/20/2011
.jpg)
TI's Uwe Fuhrmann
I had the pleasure to talk with TI's Uwe Fuhrmann, who manages the development of Texas Instruments’ Analog Automotive business in EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa). He has over twenty years of experience with TI, during which time he has held positions in New Product Development, Marketing and
. . . Read More
Date:
6/19/2011
.jpg)
Designed specifically for switching high power IGBTs, the ZXGD3006E6 gate driver from Diodes Incorporated helps to increase power conversion efficiency in solar inverter, motor drive and power supply applications.
The gate driver typically provides a drive current of 4A for an input current of 1mA,
. . . Read More
Date:
6/18/2011
Click on image to enlarge
VACUUMSCHMELZE GmbH & Co. KG (Hanau) now offers a new Sample Kit comprising a broad selection of their most widely used high-precision current sensors for accurate measurement of DC and AC current. The convenient and easily portable case contains current sensors with integrated electronics for both
. . . Read More
Date:
6/16/2011
Power supply engineers have two main challenges – reduce the amount of space they use and increase power density. This is especially important in notebook, point-of-load, server, gaming and telecommunication applications. To help designers meet these challenges, Fairchild Semiconductor (NYSE: FCS),
. . . Read More
Date:
6/15/2011
.jpg)
Campbell Collins Ltd, a specialist supplier of power supplies, capacitors and hi-rel power semiconductors, is pleased to announce the release of a new range of fully waterproof power supplies from MTM Power of Germany.
The PM-IP67A series offer IP67 rated protection against dust, humidity, condensation
. . . Read More
Date:
6/15/2011
.jpg)
Avnet Abacus – one of Europe’s leading interconnect, passive, electromechanical and power distributors – and world-renowned connector maker, FCI are launching a joint Europe-wide initiative aimed at helping designers choose the right connector for demanding applications in the industrial market. Renewable
. . . Read More
Date:
5/23/2011
Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) (NYSE:TXN) today introduced a battery management integrated circuit that increases the life of rechargeable lithium-ion battery packs and maximizes available energy for hybrid and electric vehicles, power tools and uninterruptible power source (UPS) applications.
. . . Read More
Date:
5/22/2011
Renesas Electronics Europe, a premier provider of advanced semiconductor solutions, announced today for its RL78 microcontroller family new compiler support from IAR Systems, as well as real-time operating systems (RTOS) from Micrium and CMX Systems.
“To support the market’s need for industry-standard
. . . Read More
Date:
5/9/2011
.jpg)
SemiSouth Laboratories, Inc., the leading manufacturer of silicon carbide (SiC) transistor technology for high-power, high-efficiency, harsh-environment power management and conversion applications, has launched a new class of record-low, 45 milliohm, 1200 V, normally on trench SiC power JFETs. These
. . . Read More
Date:
5/6/2011
.jpg)
Click on image to enlarge
100V Isolated Monolithic Flyback Regulator
Linear Technology Corporation announces a new high reliability (MP-grade) version of the LT3511, a high voltage isolated monolithic flyback regulator that operates over a -55°C to 150°C junction temperature range. This device simplifies the design of an isolated DC/DC converter since it needs no optocoupler,
. . . Read More
Date:
5/5/2011
.jpg)
International Rectifier, IR, (NYSE: IRF), a world leader in power management technology, today announced the introduction of an automotive DirectFET®2 power MOSFET chipset optimized for DC-DC applications used in internal combustion engine (ICE) cars, hybrid and electric vehicles.
The new
. . . Read More
Date:
4/29/2011
Mouser Electronics, Inc., regarded as a top design engineering resource and global distributor for semiconductors and electronic components, has been awarded the President’s Elite Award from Ohmite Manufacturing. Ohmite has maintained a leadership position in the design and manufacture of Power Resistive
. . . Read More
Date:
4/29/2011
.jpg)
Chomerics Europe - a division of Parker Hannifin has announced the appointment of Billy Sheedy to the position of General Manager, Chomerics Division Europe.
Billy is promoted from his previous role with the company as Business Unit Manager, Elastomer Platform. Since joining Chomerics as a Production
. . . Read More
Date:
4/22/2011
Whether in the powertrain, in central control units or in body and convenience electronics – there is a constant increase in the proportion of electronic components used in the car. This trend is accompanied by growing complexity of the systems installed, meaning that designers are forever faced with
. . . Read More
Date:
4/14/2011
Maxwell Technologies, Inc. (Nasdaq: MXWL) reported today that it has more than doubled production capacity for ultracapacitor electrode, cells and modules over the past year, and is moving forward with additional capacity expansion to satisfy rapidly increasing demand for its BOOSTCAP® ultracapacitor
. . . Read More
Date:
4/14/2011
Chroma Systems Solutions, Inc. and TestEquity LLC today announced a renewed distribution partnership that will significantly increase the availability of Chroma’s power test instrumentation and systems to diverse power electronics markets.
The new agreement will allow TestEquity to offer Chroma’s
. . . Read More
Date:
4/12/2011
Freescale Semiconductor and Fuji Electric partner to increase efficiency of hybrid electric vehicles
Freescale Semiconductor has entered into a strategic alliance with Fuji Electric Systems Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Fuji Electric Holdings Co., Ltd., to collaborate on insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) technology and products for hybrid electric and electric vehicles (HEV and EV).
. . . Read More
Date:
4/12/2011
Maxwell Technologies, Inc. announced that the North American office of United Kingdom's Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) has granted European Economic Community (EEC)-Type Approval and Conformity of Production (CoP) clearance to Maxwell's 125-volt Heavy Transportation Module (HTM125).
The EEC-Type
. . . Read More
Date:
3/17/2011
.jpg)
Powerstax, one of Europe’s leading application-rich power solutions manufacturers, announces the publication of its new MIL COTS Power Solution short-form catalogue which outlines the wide range of high efficiency power supplies now available from Powerstax for Military and Non-Tactical, fixed and mobile
. . . Read More
Date:
3/7/2011
.jpg)
AVX Corporation, a leading manufacturer of advanced passive components and interconnect solutions, has expanded its TransGuard® Series to include automotive specific varistors tested to Load Dump and Jump Start requirements. Designated the VCAS Series, the AEC Q200 qualified varistors are designed to
. . . Read More
Date:
3/3/2011
Maxwell Technologies, Inc., announced today that it has been awarded a $7.01 million cost-shared technology development contract by the United States Advanced Battery Consortium LLC (USABC) to develop an advanced energy storage system for power-assist hybrid electric vehicles (PAHEVs). USABC will provide
. . . Read More
Date:
3/3/2011
The transformer is the key to the efficiency of a power supply. With the low leakage low loss techniques of planar technology, Payton is making available high power transformers with 99%+ efficiencies. These types of transformers are used in battery charging stations for HV and can be connected in series
. . . Read More
Date:
2/28/2011
.jpg)
Precision, 2nd Generation, High Voltage Multicell Battery Stack Monitor
Linear Technology has announced the LTC®6803, a second generation high voltage battery monitor for hybrid/electric vehicle (HEVs), electric vehicles (EVs) and other high voltage, high performance battery systems. The LTC6803 is a complete battery measuring IC that includes a 12-bit ADC, a precision
. . . Read More
Date:
2/27/2011
.jpg)
The RSF / RSMF Series from Stackpole is a low cost alternative to wirewound resistors rated at 5 watts and below. The RSF / RSMF Series is also rated for operation up to 200 degrees C for the mini ½ watt and mini 1 watt sizes and 235C for all other sizes, where most metal film resistors can safely
. . . Read More
Date:
2/26/2011
.jpg)
Nextreme Thermal Solutions, the leader in microscale thermal and power generation solutions, today introduces Thermobility, the next generation of power generation technology that uses heat as a source of electricity for low-power wireless applications.
Thermobility uses innovative solid-state thin-film
. . . Read More
Date:
2/25/2011
.jpg)
Tyco Electronics (TE) announces that Matthew Williams, Global Applications Engineering Manager for Tyco Electronics Circuit Protection business unit, will present at the Motor, Drive & Automation Systems Conference 2011 being held March 1-2 in San Antonio, Texas. During his presentation, “Coordinated
. . . Read More
Date:
2/24/2011
.jpg)
International Rectifier, a world leader in power management technology, introduced a family of automotive qualified planar MOSFETs for a variety of applications used in Internal Combustion Engine (ICE), hybrid and full electric vehicle platforms.
The family of new devices utilizing IR’s proven
. . . Read More
Date:
2/3/2011
Maxim Integrated Products introduces the MAX2686/MAX2688, low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) designed for GPS-enabled applications operating in the 1575MHz band. Packaged in a 0.86mm x 0.86mm, 0.4mm-pitch wafer-level package (WLP) with only four pins, these LNAs minimize solution footprint for today’s continually
. . . Read More
Date:
2/3/2011
.jpg)
ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, has invested $10 million in San Francisco-based ECOtality, a clean electric transportation and storage technologies company, to enter North America’s electric vehicle (EV) charging market and provide ECOtality with a strong global ally in power
. . . Read More
Date:
1/24/2011
Maxwell will lead a team including the U.S. Navy and the University of Massachusetts that is tasked with developing an energy storage device combining an advanced capacitor module, an advanced battery pack and power management electronics.
The goal of the program is to develop an enhanced energy
. . . Read More
Date:
1/15/2011
Nuvation Engineering, a leading provider of electronic design services, has developed a custom battery management system, fuel gauge and driver interface for electric vehicles. The innovative system is currently featured on the OptaMotive 'E. Rex'.
Through a close partnership with Maxim, Nuvation
. . . Read More
Date:
1/15/2011
At the 2011 International CES in Las Vegas, Maxim Integrated Products showcases its latest technology innovations that provide the essential link between the digital world and the analog world of light, sound, temperature, speed, and pressure. The CES Maxim booth #30869 located in the Upper Level of
. . . Read More
Date:
1/5/2011
Technological advances in lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries have enabled high-power Li-ion cells with higher energy density and lighter weight to replace Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd) batteries – and even lead acid batteries – in applications such as power tools, e-bikes, light electric vehicles (LEVs) and
. . . Read More
Date:
12/22/2010
Intersil Corporation has introduced its HEV/EV system solution, featuring an automotive grade Li-Ion battery management system and safety monitor. Building upon Intersil's history of providing superior battery management devices for the portable electronics market, the automotive grade (AEC-Q100) ISL78600
. . . Read More
Date:
11/17/2010
Fairchild Semiconductor, a leading global supplier of high performance power and mobile products, will demo its latest technological advancements for mobile applications, as well as power solutions that focus on the smart grid at electronica 2010.
Held in Munich, Germany, 9-12 November, Fairchild’s
. . . Read More
Date:
10/21/2010
A Volkswagen Passat BlueMotion driven by journalist Gavin Conway writing for The Sunday Times has set a new Guinness World Record for the distance travelled by a production passenger car on a single tank of fuel.
. . . Read More
Date:
10/5/2010
Figure 1: An 8-cell nickel pack can be easily monitored and protected from the abuse of over-discharge
Rechargeable battery packs prematurely deteriorate in performance if any cells are allowed to over-discharge, for example, in hybrid automobiles or lower-cost products like portable tools and backup power sources. As a pack becomes fully discharged, the ILOAD • RINTERNAL voltage drop of the weakest
. . . Read More
Date:
8/1/2010