MOSFETs Improve Efficiency in 48V Automotive Systems

Diodes Incorporated has expanded its automotive MOSFET portfolio with new PowerDI^®8080-5 packaged devices, including a 100V N-channel MOSFET designed for high-efficiency operation in 48V automotive systems.

Context: Efficiency demands in vehicle electrification
Modern automotive systems, including electric and hybrid vehicles, require efficient power management to minimise energy losses and thermal load. Applications such as brushless DC (BLDC) motor drives and DC-DC converters demand components with low conduction losses and high current capability.

MOSFET performance, particularly on-resistance (RDS(ON)), plays a critical role in determining system efficiency and thermal behaviour.

Technology: Low RDS(ON) for reduced losses
The newly introduced 100V MOSFET achieves a maximum RDS(ON) of 1.5 mΩ, enabling reduced conduction losses in high-power applications such as power steering, braking systems, and on-board chargers.

Additional devices in the portfolio cover voltage ranges from 40V to 80V, supporting applications across 12V, 24V, and 48V systems. A 40V device offers RDS(ON) as low as 0.4 mΩ, targeting low-voltage applications with high efficiency requirements.

Logic-level variants allow operation at lower gate voltages, supporting integration with microcontroller-based automotive systems.

Packaging: Compact design with thermal performance
The PowerDI8080-5 package features an 8 mm × 8 mm footprint, significantly smaller than traditional TO-263 packages. This supports higher power density and space-constrained automotive designs.

Copper clip bonding reduces thermal resistance to approximately 0.3°C/W, enabling high current handling while maintaining thermal stability. The package design also supports automated optical inspection and improves reliability under temperature cycling conditions.

Applications: Broad automotive use cases
The MOSFET range is designed for use in battery electric vehicles (BEVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) platforms.

Typical applications include BLDC motor drives, battery management systems, DC-DC converters, load switches, and actuator control systems. The devices support both high-power and low-voltage automotive electronics.

Operational impact: Efficiency and system integration
By reducing conduction losses and improving thermal performance, the new MOSFETs contribute to higher system efficiency and reduced cooling requirements. The compact packaging also enables more flexible PCB design and higher integration density.

Availability
The PowerDI8080-5 MOSFETs are available in automotive-compliant versions, with additional variants suitable for industrial and commercial applications.

Conclusion: Supporting next-generation automotive power systems
With ultra-low RDS(ON) and compact packaging, the new MOSFET portfolio supports the increasing efficiency and power density requirements of modern automotive systems, contributing to improved performance across electrified vehicle platforms.

Edited by an industrial journalist, Lekshman Ramdas, with AI assistance.

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