Vicor Corporation declared that its BCM6135 DC-DC Bidirectional Power Converter Module won Gasgoo Best Technology Application 2025 Award. The esteemed award recognizes innovative product design and application that has a big influence on the automotive sector.
The BCM6135 is a fully functional 800V (High Voltage) to 48V (Safe Extra Low Voltage, or SELV) DC-DC converter that can provide up to 2.5kW of power from a small, 0.015L module that weighs just 58g.
It was acknowledged for providing the fastest and most power-dense DC-DC converter in the automotive industry today, thereby resolving decades-old power challenges.
Unmatched Performance and Innovation
The only DC-DC converter for HV-to-SELV that uses Vicor’s own Sine Amplitude Conversion (SAC) technology is the BCM6135. Symmetric switching speed, efficiency, and transient performance are provided by this proprietary zero voltage switching technique.
Key performance benefits praised by the industry include:
- Highest Power Density: The BCM6135 reduces power system volume and mass by 50–80% compared to current solutions.
- Top Efficiency: It achieves a 33% higher peak efficiency of 97.3%.
- Fastest Transient Response: The module achieves an astounding current slew rate of 8.0M A/s, faster than any load in a vehicle and the fastest in the industry.
- Bidirectional Power: It is the only DC-DC converter that can produce the same peak power for both bucking (800V–48V) and boosting (48V–800V).
Enabling next-generation vehicle systems
The BCM6135’s performance has a critical impact on next-generation automotive applications, including active suspension power systems. Its high slew rate and symmetrical power handling enable optimal energy recuperation, allowing over 90% of the power taken from the battery for suspension actuation to be returned to the main battery.
The unique combination of features in the BCM6135 is also allowing customers to:
- Eliminate Low Voltage Batteries: The module supports the deletion of a low voltage (12V or 48V) battery in the vehicle, reducing weight and package space by up to 70% for the power distribution system.
- Support New Applications: The power density and fast transients will be key enablers for emerging IR heating systems in electrified vehicles.
Leadership Comments
Peter Li, Research & Development Director at Hongfa, noted the significance of the technology, stating, “When it comes to active suspension, our OEM customers require a DC-DC converter with a response rate measured in milliseconds, otherwise, additional battery support is needed. Vicor’s BCM6135 power modules enable the competitive performance we need. Vicor power modules not only deliver the performance we need but they also significantly shorten our development time and have made designing this type of system much easier for us”.
