With the advancement of technology and government initiatives to encourage greener ways of living to save the environment some major shifts are occurring. One major change is in how we get around in our day to day lives, with more encouragement to take public transport and using bicycles for those able to do so. However there is a limit on how practical some of these measures are so as an industry the Automotive manufacturers are shifting their production and design focusses over to electric vehicles.
Electric vehicles design and construction are relatively similar to a ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles however due to one key change in how the electric vehicle delivers its power they require 60% fewer components than the power train of an ICE vehicle. Some of the major components of an electric cars function is the DC to AC converters required to drive the motors as well as the On-Board Charger which both use a variety of components. One key component for this equipment is the Ferrite cores required to manage the power transformation or used as potential shielding from outside electromagnetic influences.
One element of an electric vehicle that presents a unique problem is heating, as your typical ICE vehicle can rely upon the waste heat generated by the combustion engine to for heat the passenger compartment. An electric vehicle requires a source of electrical heating and these can be tricky to find as you require an efficient heating element otherwise the power drain on the batteries can start to have serious impacts on the performance of the vehicle. This is why the PTC heating elements from TDK can come in handy, these elements have a positive temperature coefficient and due to it being an electroceramic component there is a degree of self-regulating because of the nature of the material, providing a higher efficiency and reliable heat source.
There are thousands of electronic components required to keep an electric car operational and provide customers with the luxury that they have come to expect. Here at Gateway we have the connections and manufacturer relationships to be your one stop shop for the complete package when it comes to electronic components. With inhouse technical specialist who have a wide range of expertise and knowledge they can be sure to help you source the perfect solution.