The role of efficiency in the environmental performance of power electronics in electric vehicles

摘要

A genuine transition towards green mobility requires a continuous environmental assessment of all innovative solutions used in EV technology. This paper investigates the role of power electronics in the environmental performance of EVs, from a life cycle perspective. The influence of efficiency and electricity mix used is investigated, as well as the main materials and components responsible for environmental impact. Energy consumption is identified as a large contributor to environmental impact, during manufacturing and powering of the power electronics. Improvement of this impact can be obtained by increasing efficiency and by introducing green energy sources along the life cycle.