Review of on-board conductive charger topologies for electric transportation

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of on-board conductive charger topologies for electric vehicles (EVs). Battery packs in electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (EVs/PHEVs) need frequent energy refills to fulfil their duty cycles and overcome the range anxiety of vehicle owners. Due to the limited availability of fast charging infrastructures, all automotive manufacturers prefer an on-board battery charger in their vehicles. However, there are power level limitations for these chargers because of the weight, space and cost constraints. On-board charging systems can be either conductive or inductive. This paper reviews the topologies that are involved in conductive charging only. Globally, all automotive companies provide levels 1 and 2 for residential charging of vehicles. Single- and two-stage power converter topologies are summarised with their limitations. Furthermore, the current trends in the DC-DC converters for the two-stage conversion battery charger topologies are also outlined. This paper provides an overview of various topologies and configurations involved in EV charging with their limitations. © 2023 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd.