A Comprehensive Review of Bidirectional DC–DC Converters for Applications in Electric and Hybrid Vehicles

Abstract

Electric vehicles have gained significant attention in recent times due to their zero carbon emissions. The performance of an electric vehicle depends on the interaction between the energy storage system and the power electronics converter. Energy-storage systems, including batteries, fuel cells, and supercapacitors, may exhibit terminal-voltage, current, and transient characteristics that do not directly match the requirements of the traction dc bus. Bidirectional dc–dc converters are therefore employed where voltage adaptation, controlled bidirectional power transfer, galvanic isolation, or coordinated energy management is required. On the other hand, the use of these converters presents challenges such as a high number of components, significant switching losses, high equipment stress, computational complexity, and slow dynamic response. This paper addresses the various types of dc–dc converters that have been proposed for use in electric vehicles. This review encompasses the characteristics, component count, and performance of various topologies. Key challenges for future research in electric vehicle converters are also presented.