Vicor unveils the highest density vehicle-scale power module to support 48V power supply systems for electric vehicles

     Vicor has released three vehicle-scale power modules for 48V electric vehicle power systems. These modules provide industry-leading power density to meet the production needs of automotive manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers in 2025. The BCM6135, DCM3735 and PRM3735 use AEC-Q100 certified ics designed by Vicor and have completed the PPAP (Production Part Approval Procedure) process with automotive customers.

     "With these scalable and flexible small power modules, Vicor has set a new benchmark for power density in the automotive industry." "Our high-performance converters open up new possibilities for car manufacturers to reduce the size and weight of the power system throughout the vehicle," said Patrick Wadden, vice president of Automotive at Vicor.

     Vicor's GPMS for 48V electric vehicle systems offer industry-leading power densities that will meet the production needs of automakers and Tier 1 suppliers in 2025. These modules address the complex conversion challenges of 800V, 400V, 48V and 12V systems in various electric vehicle power systems.

     The BCM6135 is a 2.5kW BCM bus converter with up to 98% efficiency that converts the traction battery's 800V voltage to 48V, providing a safe ultra-low voltage (SELV) power supply to the vehicle. The BCM6135 provides isolation between high and low pressure internally, greatly reducing the space required for DC-DC conversion. With a power density of up to 158kW/L, the BCM6135 enables electric vehicle system designers to reduce the size of the main DC-DC converter and reduce vehicle weight. The bidirectional fast current transient response rate of 8 megabits per second enables the BCM6135 to replace a 25-pound 48V battery as a virtual 48V battery in a variety of electric vehicles, further saving costs and reducing weight.

     The DCM3735 is a 2.0kW DCM™ DC-DC converter that converts unregulated 48V input voltage to regulated 12V output voltage. With a wide input range, the DCM3735 is suitable for a variety of automotive applications, as the output voltage can be flexibly adjusted in the range of 8-16V. The DCM3735 has a power density of 300kW/L, making it ideal for architectures that bridge 48V distribution units to 12V subsystems in regional ECU applications.

     The PRM3735 is a 2.5kW PRM™ regulator for 48V power systems with 99.2% efficiency. Its compact size and 260kW/L power density save package space, reduce the size of DC-DC power supplies and reduce weight. It is best suited to support regulated 48V loads implemented in new vehicle architectures.