Power Electronics Considerations for Sustainable EV Charging

Abstract

While EVs offer considerable environmental benefits over traditional internal combustion engine vehicles due to their zero tailpipe emissions, their reliance on unclean electric grids to charge contributes to significant life cycle emissions. This thesis explores the intersection of sustainable power electronics and EV charging, with a focus on Level 3 DC charging—the key to fast and convenient EV charging solutions. I identify gaps in existing research and define 3 key objectives for this thesis: to create a framework for quantifying the environmental impact of power electronics systems, investigate the potential of higher switching frequencies to improve the carbon footprint of the EV charging process, and explore the role of WBG semiconductors in driving sustainability. Concrete contributions include the development of a simple mathematical model to estimate the relationship between charging efficiency and wasted CO2e emissions, quantifying the pre-use carbon footprint of various power electronics topologies used in EV charging, and sketching correlations between the operational efficiency, life cycle CO2e emissions, and switching frequency of power electronics. By providing insights into the environmental impact of the EV charging process and proposing strategies to improve its sustainability, this thesis contributes to the emerging field of sustainable power electronics and the future of the EV industry.