Sam Davis was editor-in-chief of Power Electronics Technology magazine. Its website was eventually merged with Electronic Design and you can still find articles that Sam wrote for us. Sam achieved his BSEE from Case-Western Reserve University and did graduate work at the same school and UCLA. He’s also a prolific technical writer and I was able to get my hands on his latest tome: Managing Electric Vehicle Power.
The book focuses on power management of electric vehicles (EVs) and the challenges of ensuring proper EV operation. This includes the role of power management in automotive design and delivery. Everything from motors and motor control to circuit protection of ECUs is covered in the book.
The chapter list provides an overview of the contents:
- EV Power Management
- EV Batteries
- EV Fuel Cells
- ECU Power Management
- Future AEC-Qualified Power Management Technology
- EV Power Semiconductors
- EV Lighting
- EV Traction Motors
- ECU Circuit Protection
- EV Thermal Management
- Power Management of ADAS
- Power Management of Autonomous EVs
- CAN Bus
- AEC Standards
Sam offers technical insights that start with a discussion of the high- and low-voltage aspects of EVs. Battery management is up next, including a discussion about on-board battery chargers.
The chapter on fuel cells discusses the most common type used in EVs, the polymer-electrolyte-membrane (PEMFC) fuel cell. ECU power management is critical to proper operation as EVs have become more sophisticated.
The book covers all aspects of power from switching power supplies to power semiconductor technologies, including the latest silicon power MOSFETs, insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs) and the use of silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN).
Chapter 9 delves into circuit protection of ECUs that are vulnerable to electrical hazards. This includes electromagnetic interference (EMI), transients, electrostatic discharge (ESD), and power malfunctions.
Overall, the book provides useful and detailed insights into all aspects of an EV. Definitely worth a detailed read.