Drive Cycle-Based Loss Evaluation of Two-Level and Three-Level Inverters in 400 v and 800 v Electric Vehicle Applications

In this paper, the driving cycle model tested by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is utilized to analyze power losses in inverter components, aiming to assess the actual performance and energy consumption of electric vehicle drive systems. The primary losses considered include conduction and switching losses that occur under real-world operating conditions. The analyzed conditions cover urban environments, highways, and challenging terrains involving multiple phases of acceleration and deceleration. Two types of semiconductor devices are evaluated: Silicon Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor (Si IGBT) and Silicon Carbide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor (SiC MOSFET), corresponding to battery system voltage levels of 400 V and 800 V, respectively. Three inverter configurations are considered in this study: two-level inverter, T-type three-level inverter, and ANPC three-level inverter. The efficiency and energy losses of each configuration are assessed based on simulation results.