An ultra low cost electric vehicle heating apparatus, components thereof, and related method are herein described. A driver circuit operates a switching device at an intermediate state between fully-turned-off and fully-turned-on, in a high power dissipation heating mode, to efficiently produce heat energy for heating a passenger compartment, or energy storage system, of an electric vehicle. The driver circuit operates the switching device to have a fully-turned-off state and a fully-turned-on state in a main function mode for a traction inverter or an energy storage system charger of the electric vehicle. The driver circuit is operable to cycle the heating mode and the main function mode for combining such heating and such main function operation of the traction inverter, or the charger, without compromising the operation of the traction motor, or charger, while simultaneously eliminating many of the expensive resistive heating components in use by practitioners of the art.

An ultra low cost electric vehicle heating apparatus, components thereof, and related method are herein described. A driver circuit operates a switching device at an intermediate state between fully-turned-off and fully-turned-on, in a high power dissipation heating mode, to efficiently produce heat energy for heating a passenger compartment, or energy storage system, of an electric vehicle. The driver circuit operates the switching device to have a fully-turned-off state and a fully-turned-on state in a main function mode for a traction inverter or an energy storage system charger of the electric vehicle. The driver circuit is operable to cycle the heating mode and the main function mode for combining such heating and such main function operation of the traction inverter, or the charger, without compromising the operation of the traction motor, or charger, while simultaneously eliminating many of the expensive resistive heating components in use by practitioners of the art.

Selective efficiency multi-phase traction inverters and chargers as heat sources for thermal conditioning of electric vehicles is provided. The traction inverter comprises a plurality of phases, each of the plurality of phases having at least one semiconductor switching device, the at least one semiconductor switching device configured to switch between at least three differing states, for thermal management of the electric vehicle components and compartments. The traction inverter includes a controller coupled to the plurality of phases, to operate the plurality of phases in a first mode of the traction inverter to drive the electric motor as a traction motor. The controller operates the plurality of phases in a second mode of the traction inverter as a first type of converter. The controller to operate the plurality of phases in a third mode of the traction inverter as a second type of converter.

Selective efficiency multi-phase traction inverters and chargers as heat sources for thermal conditioning of electric vehicles is provided. The traction inverter comprises a plurality of phases, each of the plurality of phases having at least one semiconductor switching device, the at least one semiconductor switching device configured to switch between at least three differing states, for thermal management of the electric vehicle components and compartments. The traction inverter includes a controller coupled to the plurality of phases, to operate the plurality of phases in a first mode of the traction inverter to drive the electric motor as a traction motor. The controller operates the plurality of phases in a second mode of the traction inverter as a first type of converter. The controller to operate the plurality of phases in a third mode of the traction inverter as a second type of converter.

Selective efficiency multi-phase traction inverters and chargers as heat sources for thermal conditioning of electric vehicles is provided. The traction inverter comprises a plurality of phases, each of the plurality of phases having at least one semiconductor switching device, the at least one semiconductor switching device configured to switch between at least three differing states, for thermal management of the electric vehicle components and compartments. The traction inverter includes a controller coupled to the plurality of phases, to operate the plurality of phases in a first mode of the traction inverter to drive the electric motor as a traction motor. The controller operates the plurality of phases in a second mode of the traction inverter as a first type of converter. The controller to operate the plurality of phases in a third mode of the traction inverter as a second type of converter.

Selective efficiency multi-phase traction inverters and chargers as heat sources for thermal conditioning of electric vehicles is provided. The traction inverter comprises a plurality of phases, each of the plurality of phases having at least one semiconductor switching device, the at least one semiconductor switching device configured to switch between at least three differing states, for thermal management of the electric vehicle components and compartments. The traction inverter includes a controller coupled to the plurality of phases, to operate the plurality of phases in a first mode of the traction inverter to drive the electric motor as a traction motor. The controller operates the plurality of phases in a second mode of the traction inverter as a first type of converter. The controller to operate the plurality of phases in a third mode of the traction inverter as a second type of converter.

An electrical machine comprising: at least one stator, at least one module, the at least one module comprising at least one electromagnetic coil and at least one switch, the at least one module being attached to the at least one stator; at least one rotor with a plurality of magnets attached to the at least one rotor, an integrated electrical differential coupled to at least one of the rotors, the at least one integrated electrical differential permitting the at least one rotor to output at least two rotational outputs to corresponding shafts, wherein the at least two rotational outputs are able to move the shafts at different rotational velocities to one another. The electrical machine is configured to fit into a housing, and that can be retrofitted into a conventional vehicle by replacing the mechanical differential.

An electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft includes an electrical propulsion unit that has a propeller or a fan configured to be driven to rotate by an electric motor arranged to receive electrical power from an inverter. The inverter includes a carrier substrate, and a converter commutation cell including a power circuit. The power circuit includes at least one power semiconductor switching element. Each power semiconductor switching element is comprised in a power semiconductor prepackage. A heat sink is arranged to remove heat from the respective power semiconductor prepackage. The heat sink is spaced apart from the carrier substrate to define a heat sink gap between the carrier substrate and the heat sink. A converter parameter φ, which is defined as a size of the heat sink gap divided by a maximum electric field strength in the heat sink gap, is less than or equal to 20 nm.sup.2/V.

An electrical vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft includes an electrical propulsion unit that has a propeller or a fan configured to be driven to rotate by an electric motor arranged to receive electrical power from an inverter. The inverter includes a carrier substrate, and a converter commutation cell including a power circuit. The power circuit includes at least one power semiconductor switching element. Each power semiconductor switching element is comprised in a power semiconductor prepackage. A heat sink is arranged to remove heat from the respective power semiconductor prepackage. The heat sink is spaced apart from the carrier substrate to define a heat sink gap between the carrier substrate and the heat sink. A converter parameter φ, which is defined as a size of the heat sink gap divided by a maximum electric field strength in the heat sink gap, is less than or equal to 20 nm.sup.2/V.

The disclosure relates to an electric aircraft propulsion assembly comprising: an electric storage unit; a first electric motor connected to power a first propulsor; a first converter configured as a DC:AC converter having input connections connectable to the electric storage unit and output connections connected across the first electric motor, the first converter configured as a DC:AC converter; a second electric motor connected to power a second propulsor; a second converter connected between the first converter input connections and the second electric motor; and a controller configured to control operation of the first and second converters, wherein the second converter is operable as a DC:AC converter to convert the DC supply from the electric storage unit to an AC supply across the second electric motor and as a DC:DC converter to convert the DC supply from the electric storage unit at a first DC level to a DC supply at the input connections of the first converter at a second DC level.