A Comprehensive Review of Universal Fast-Charging Techniques for 400-V and 800-V Electric Vehicles

Abstract

Recently, several automotive manufacturers have shifted to 800-V battery electric vehicle (BEV) architectures, rather than the more conventional 400-V architectures. The main advantage is that fast-charging power levels can increase while staying within cable and battery current limits; thus, drivers can charge in a much shorter time, which increases the convenience and practicality of driving BEVs for longer distances. Hence, it is essential to develop fast-charging stations that are compatible with the conventional 400-V and the emerging 800-V vehicles. Therefore, dc/dc converter modules within these chargers should be capable of operating at high efficiency within an ultra-wide output voltage range (200 to 1000 V), which is a well-known power electronic challenge. This paper is the first to perform a comprehensive review of the universal fast-charger topic, including general methods to increase output voltage range and efficiency across this range, specific circuit topologies and control schemes proposed in the literature for universal fast-chargers, commercially available universal fast-chargers, and an on-board solution used in industry. Furthermore, this paper performs a detailed comparison of the reviewed universal fast-charging solutions and presents future trends towards the widespread use of universal fast-chargers.