Advantages of Using Bidirectional, Regenerative DC Supplies for EV Power and Drivetrain Test

April 19, 2021

Automotive electronics are changing in dramatic ways and the automotive world is racing into a disruptive future. The market demand for reduction in the use of fossil fuels is driving the inexorable move toward electrified vehicles. The complexity of testing the whole spectrum of electronic devices and systems within this new breed of vehicles is placing higher demands on test equipment used in the design and manufacturing. Where once this technology area was centered on electronic ignition systems, navigation systems, adaptive cruise control systems, lighting and infotainment, the rapid emergence of electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids (HEVs) is now concerned with higher power, high-energy power conversion systems and drive trains. It is not only the battery and drive train electronics, but also the power conversion systems required to interface these systems with myriad low-voltage systems. These demands are driving innovation in test equipment manufacturers to produce programmable power sources and programmable electronic loads that can accommodate the needs for higher power, faster response, the capability of simulating complex operating scenarios and doing all of this with higher efficiency. Enter bidirectional, programmable DC power supplies with integrated regenerative electronic loads.