Automotive engineering service provider IAV and semiconductor manufacturer Nexperia have joined forces to develop a new high-voltage architecture for electric vehicles that could significantly improve battery efficiency and performance.
The collaboration, known as the ONE Inverter project, focuses on extracting more usable power from existing battery cells rather than relying solely on larger battery packs to increase vehicle performance and range.
Moving Beyond Conventional Battery Management
In traditional electric vehicle battery systems, the overall performance of a battery pack is often limited by its weakest cell.
If a single cell experiences reduced performance, it can negatively affect the operation of the entire battery system.
To address this challenge, IAV and Nexperia have developed a software-controlled battery architecture capable of managing each battery cell individually.
Instead of treating the battery pack as a single unit, the system dynamically controls and optimizes the performance of individual cells, allowing each one to contribute according to its current condition and capability.
Advanced Semiconductor Technology at the Core
The concept relies on Nexperia’s wide-bandgap semiconductor technologies, particularly a bidirectional gallium nitride (GaN) device.
According to the companies, the GaN-based technology enables highly efficient and rapid switching at the individual battery cell level, making the architecture both technically feasible and economically attractive.
The partners said alternative semiconductor technologies would likely increase both system complexity and overall costs.
Additional components from Nexperia’s semiconductor portfolio, including bipolar devices, are also being used to support the overall system architecture.
Supporting Software-Defined Vehicles
The project aligns with the automotive industry’s growing shift toward software-defined vehicles, where software increasingly controls vehicle functions and performance.
By enabling more granular battery management, the architecture could improve efficiency, increase system flexibility and enhance battery resilience over time.
The approach may also help manufacturers optimize battery utilization without requiring significant increases in battery capacity, potentially reducing costs and improving sustainability.
Focus on Efficiency and Performance
IAV Chief Executive Officer Jörg Astalosch said the collaboration highlights the potential of software-driven battery systems in future electric vehicles.
“IAV’s strength lies in translating technological innovation into system-level solutions for our customers. Together with Nexperia, we are exploring how software-defined battery architectures can unlock new levels of efficiency, flexibility and resilience for future software-defined vehicles.”
Nexperia Senior Vice President and Head of Business Group Wide Bandgap, IGBT & Modules, Edoardo Merli, emphasized the importance of close cooperation between semiconductor developers and vehicle engineering specialists.
“Strong partnerships are key to driving innovation in next-generation vehicle architectures.”
“By combining our wide bandgap semiconductor expertise – spanning both SiC and GaN – with the advanced system concepts of our partner IAV, we are enabling new approaches to e-mobility design from the ground up.”
Potential Impact on Future EV Design
The ONE Inverter project reflects a broader industry trend toward smarter battery systems capable of delivering greater performance through advanced electronics and software rather than simply increasing battery size.
If successfully commercialized, the technology could contribute to longer battery life, improved vehicle efficiency and more cost-effective electric vehicle architectures, supporting the next generation of software-defined mobility solutions.
