Range is one of the most important things when looking for an EV, right?
Right! That’s why Porsche emphasises that every possible opportunity to improve powertrain efficiency must be explored. One key area with significant potential is the inverter, where measurable energy losses occur inside the power transistors during switching. These losses are not unavoidable; however, they can be reduced through intelligent control of how the transistors are actuated.
In an electric vehicle inverter, two main types of losses occur:
-conduction (line) losses
-switching losses
Some energy losses in an electric vehicle are simply part of how electronics work. Even when a power transistor is switched on, it does not behave like a perfectly open valve. Instead, it slightly restricts the flow of electricity, causing some energy to turn into heat. More energy is lost when the transistor switches on and off. These moments are like briefly squeezing a hose while water is flowing - energy is wasted before the flow becomes smooth again. Over time, these small losses reduce the vehicle’s overall efficiency and driving range.
Reduced losses thanks to ZVS
Porsche Engineering uses ZVS (Zero Voltage Switching) to improve their inverter efficiency. ZVS helps modern EV electronics waste less energy during switching. In addition, it exhibits better efficiency at higher frequencies than ZCS (Zero Current Switching), while disruptive electromagnetic interference is lower. Above all, ZVS is the better choice for inductive loads such as electric motors.
What’s new about Reber and Touati’s approach is the use of artificial intelligence to control the ARCP: A pre-trained AI algorithm processes several dozen live measurements from the electric vehicle in real time, such as load, torque, and temperature, from which it calculates the optimum switching times of the power transistors in fractions of a second.
Switching optimisation with AI
Electric vehicles operate under constantly changing conditions, which makes efficient transistor switching difficult. Porsche Engineering uses artificial intelligence to solve this problem by predicting the best moments to switch the inverter’s power transistors in real time. This allows soft switching to work reliably, even as driving conditions change.
The result is a major efficiency gain. Switching losses can be reduced by up to 70 to 95 percent, which can increase driving range by a high single-digit percentage. Lower losses also mean less heat, smaller inverter components, and reduced wear on the power electronics. Because the system is implemented mainly through software, it can be integrated into existing vehicle designs with relatively low cost.