Design of an Innovative Eleven-Level Quadruple Boost Inverter for Electric Vehicles

To meet the precise voltage and current demands of electric vehicles (EVs), lithium-ion cells are commonly arranged in series and parallel configurations. To ensure the safe operation of these cells, voltage and charge equalization techniques are employed. However, these equalization circuits can introduce energy losses into the system, and in the event of cell failure, the battery pack may disconnect as a protective measure. As an alternative approach to satisfying voltage requirements, switched-capacitor (SC) inverters have gained traction due to their ability to boost voltage without using bulky transformers or inductors. This paper presents a novel eleven-level quadruple boost (ELQB) multilevel inverter specifically tailored for EV applications. The proposed inverter architecture enhances operational efficiency through an inherent self-voltage balancing capability, eliminating the need for external sensor circuits or complex balancing control mechanisms. The charge/discharge sequence of the capacitors naturally ensures proper voltage levels at the output, maintaining balanced capacitor voltages throughout operation. The eleven-level output waveform enables a quadruple voltage gain compared to the input source, delivering high-quality power suitable for driving electric vehicle motors. Additionally, a comprehensive analysis is provided, comparing component requirements such as capacitors, gate drivers, and power switches. System-level performance metrics including voltage gain, blocking voltage, and total standing voltage (TSV) are evaluated to demonstrate the advantages of the proposed ELQB inverter over recently developed multilevel topologies.