The REDSEL research project, led by Silicon Austria Labs in collaboration with Infineon Technologies Austria and AVL List, has developed a new electrical system architecture for electric vehicles that eliminates the need for a conventional 12-volt battery.
The proposed system replaces the traditional low-voltage battery—commonly used to power functions such as lighting, infotainment and central locking—with a configuration based entirely on the vehicle’s high-voltage system. The redesign aims to address reliability concerns associated with 12-volt batteries, which are considered a critical point of failure in both combustion-engine vehicles and EVs.
At the core of the concept is a redundant architecture using two high-voltage batteries to supply low-voltage functions. The system incorporates active balancing between the batteries to ensure even load distribution and improve operational safety.
The project also includes the development of a compact multi-input power electronics converter, designed to efficiently integrate high- and low-voltage functions while reducing space requirements.
Albert Frank, project leader at Silicon Austria Labs, said: “The technologies we’ve developed lay the groundwork for lighter and more robust vehicle electrical systems, thereby making a significant contribution to the advancement of electric mobility—all the way to future autonomous applications.”
The system leverages advanced semiconductor technologies from Infineon, including 750-volt silicon carbide MOSFETs (CoolSiC) for high-voltage applications and OptiMOS-7 components for low-voltage systems. In addition, the project replaces traditional mechanical relays with semiconductor-based switching systems, improving durability while reducing weight and space.
Ernst Katzmaier, project leader at Infineon Technologies Austria, said: “REDSEL is an excellent example of how new, innovative system solutions can emerge through collaboration between academic and industrial partners. The system demonstrator developed for the project impressively demonstrates how new vehicle electrical architecture can be implemented more safely and scalable in the future.”
The development highlights ongoing efforts to simplify EV architectures while improving efficiency, reliability and scalability for next-generation electric and autonomous vehicles.
