Electrification has Fully Arrived

­Welcome to the August issue!

And a most insincere salutations to this endless heatwave which may or may not be connected to global warming but is definitely unwanted, unwelcome, and unbearable!

As I write this, we’re less than a month into summer, and I’m already begging for fall!

In any case, we’ve got a corker of a topic this month! (Corker?? I really am getting old…)

One of the most persistent, pervasive, and profitable trends is the ongoing electrification of all manner of vehicles, which arguably makes “EV, Hybrids, + Charging Infrastructure” the most evergreen topic imaginable. 

Around the globe, nations and corporations are passing laws and conducting high-stakes research and development to empower the future of transportation.

China, for example, just decreed that public EV charging stations should be open to all – regardless of brand – and without discrimination (i.e., dynamic pricing models). Not content as the world leader in batteries, EVs, and charging stations, China wants to expand access to everyone. (check out this month’s Final Thought for more).

We’ve also given EV, Hybrid, and Charging Infrastructure extensive coverage in our PSDcast. For example, we recently interviewed Pradeep Shenoy, with Texas Instruments, about wide band-gap devices supporting power density in EV and hybrid vehicles.

As EVs and hybrids get ever more sophisticated, we’re starting to see the serious limitations of traditional silicon-based power devices and packaging, and that’s where wide band-gap devices come in.

Similarly, we spoke with Vicor’s Patrick Wadden regarding active suspension systems in EVs. While adjusting suspension in real-time – especially in EVs – is mostly a luxury feature, companies like Hongfa and Vicor want to make the feature far more affordable.

Our blog section has spilled no small amount of digital ink on our topic dejour. For example, UK deliveries of EVs and hybrid vehicles recently shot up, though in a bizarre rejoinder, 1/5 of surveyed UK drivers think you can get an electric shock from washing EVs.

Our contributors this month also tackled the topic from several unique perspectives.

Microchip’s Wayne Liang explains how Human Interface Technology displays have enabled the daily use of EV chargers and the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.

After all, “despite the expansion of charging infrastructure, the charging process is not that intuitive to the users, so the use of HMI displays has made a difference when it comes to accessibility and adoption,” says Liang.

HMI displays would convey a number of user benefits, like quick and easy access, electricity price transparency, and for the operator, something as practical as additional revenue streams (with ads on the HMI displays).

Enjoy the August issue!

Best Regards,

Jason Lomberg

North American Editor, PSD