Traction Power Inverter Design for EV and HEV Applications at General Motors: A Review

General Motors (GM) has always been the global leader of electrified vehicle designs for mass transportation. Power density, volume, cost and efficiency of traction power inverter modules (TPIM) have gone through extensive improvements over generations to deliver best-in-class vehicles to the customers. This paper provides an overview of GM TPIM design evolution over time. Each electric vehicle platform brings different high voltage (HV) DC system mechanization, electric drive performance and packaging challenges requiring significant engineering and design optimization. A technology trend is outlined here starting from vehicle level requirements to key power electronics component sizing. First, a high level electric drive and TPIM requirements for different electrified vehicle architectures are provided. Power stage including IGBT Power modules and DC-bulk capacitor are critical components and comprises largest expenses for a TPIM design. Therefore, a comprehensive review of power modules and DC capacitor is also provided in this paper. Finally, system and component level design verification methods to confirm functional requirements, high reliability and environmental robustness are discussed in details.