Opportunities and Challenges in Magnetic Integration Technology for New Energy Vehicles

Opportunities and Challenges in Magnetic Integration Technology for New Energy Vehicles

Amid the rapid growth of the new energy vehicle industry, magnetic integration technology is emerging as a key innovation, becoming a vital driving force for industry advancement. This technology—which integrates multiple magnetic components into a single unit—holds significant potential within the new energy vehicle sector.

Regarding power density enhancement, power magnetic components typically occupy substantial space within functional modules such as the main drive inverter, DC-DC converters, and onboard chargers (OBCs) in new energy vehicles. Magnetic integration technology enables the consolidation of transformers and inductors within these modules, effectively reducing product size and increasing power density. Taking the onboard OBC as an example, its stationary operating conditions and relatively lower reliability requirements make it an ideal application for magnetic integration technology. For instance, Huawei's DriveONE electric drive system employs magnetic integration design for the OBC's magnetic components. This approach ensures stable power output while reducing the OBC module's volume by approximately 30% and weight by 20%, significantly improving interior space utilization. Additionally, BYD has adopted magnetic integration solutions for DC/DC converters in its new models. By integrating multiple inductors and transformers, the product's power density has been boosted to 15kW/L, far surpassing traditional design levels.

From a cost-reduction perspective, as competition in the new energy vehicle market intensifies, magnetic integration technology offers increasingly significant advantages by reducing the quantity and size of magnetic components, thereby lowering power supply material costs. For instance, Infineon's magnetic integration modules optimize core structures and winding layouts, reducing magnetic material usage by approximately 20% while lowering assembly costs during production, helping automakers effectively control expenses.

However, the application of magnetic integration technology in new energy vehicles also faces several bottlenecks. First, it involves high technical complexity. Magnetic integration requires precise design and manufacturing processes to ensure proper coupling and coordinated operation among magnetic components, significantly increasing technical difficulty and implementation complexity. Different control techniques are also needed for specific topological circuits, further complicating power supply control. Second, process implementation is challenging. Following magnetic integration, transformers and inductive coils often adopt interwound configurations, dramatically increasing winding complexity. As the number of integrated magnetic components grows, winding difficulty escalates exponentially. Concurrently, core manufacturing complexity rises significantly, with integrated cores featuring more intricate structures and shapes, substantially increasing production challenges. Furthermore, loss calculations prove difficult. Coupled electromagnetic field parameters defy traditional formulae, leading to prominent heat dissipation issues in magnetic components that are challenging to resolve. Currently, electromagnetic simulation is the primary solution, but the high cost of simulation software prevents most magnetic component manufacturers from deeply engaging in pre-research and development of customers' magnetic integration products.

Despite these challenges, ongoing technological advancements position magnetic integration technology for sustained breakthroughs in the new energy vehicle sector. It holds great promise for enhancing vehicle performance while simultaneously reducing costs.