The proposed presentation by VALEO focuses on the Si/SiC hybrid switch as a cost-effective, interim solution for electric vehicle (EV) traction inverters, designed to balance the high efficiency of Silicon Carbide (SiC) MOSFETs with the low cost of traditional Silicon (Si) IGBTs. This unique approach, which parallels a small SiC MOSFET with a larger Si IGBT, is evaluated as a practical „retrofit“ up-grade for existing inverter designs. A thorough assessment on achievable efficiency performance is accompanied by an optimized operation strategy in one of VALEO’s electrical drive system and first EMC measurements on a retrofitted 400 V inverter design currently in production.

Key content will be:
1. Dynamic switching performance
2. Modeling Approach
3. Gate Control Strategy Trade-Offs
4. Efficiency Gains
5. Performance Bottlenecks
6. Seamless EMC Integration
7. Operation strategy optimized for Si/SiC

The Si/SiC hybrid switch is a viable strategy for significantly improving EV drivetrain efficiency with-out incurring the full cost of a complete SiC conversion. It offers a substantial reduction in energy loss and is designed for easy and low-cost integration. However, its adoption requires careful con-sideration of the target application, as its performance is thermally limited in demanding scenarios such as regenerative braking and standstill. Fine-tuning the semiconductor active areas is crucial to balance efficiency gains with these operational constraints.