EU project to develop 1200V DC powertrain
The EU-funded project ‘nExt geNeration 1200V eLectric hIGH volTage powErtraiN' (ENLIGHTEN), which runs until 2028, will be built around GaN chips.
The aim is to produce a new 1200V DC electric powertrain that offers higher performance, optimised costs and a more sustainable system architecture than today's 800V systems, while ensuring compatibility with existing charging infrastructures.
The system will incorporate a dual-voltage battery system that can be dynamically adjusted while driving; fast and efficient GaN-based DC/DC converters; an integrated motor-inverter powertrain to achieve superior power density and efficiency including an E-drive inverter using a multilevel GaN converter topology; and finally an AC/DC capable on-board charger for compatibility with existing charging infrastructure.
The project has nine project partners and two associate partners, including the Austrian Institute of Technology, which is leading the project, Cambridge GaN Devices, the Manifattura Automobili Torino, Lead Tech, and Eaton. The consortium also includes the research institutions IFP Energies Nouvelles, Aarhus University, Ingolstadt University, Politecnico di Torino alongside associate partners FPT Motorenforschung and ETH Zurich.
