When you open the Electric Vehicle(EV), did you find that there are huge quantity of fuses?

Electric vehicle (EV) development is mainly focus on improving stay-up time and speed. However, choosing the right fuse is essential for protecting the EV and its components, and to ensure the continued proceeding of the technologies.

Back to right words, but why EV need fuses?

Let’s see from these:

An EV is collection of huge kinds of expensive components, such as the electric motor and the battery management system(BMS). The BMS takes around 50% of EV’s cost. An essential aspect of the EV powertrain is the choice of fuses, required to protect these components from power surges and faults, both of which could be significantly damaging, says Eaton Bussmann product manager Sam Mudge.

From Sam’s review, both Electric Vehicles and hybrid vehicles, since the central system is more and more complex. Fuse selection as vehicle electrification has been more important and hard then before.

As we know, even hybrids and EVs is very much encouraged globally, but to change people’s mind, it still need some time; Comparing with internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts, there are some significant technology advances to make in a relatively short space of time.

As the popularity of EVs and hybrids grows, there will be a greater need and demand for the vehicles to obtain higher power and speed, coupled with longer range. These factors present a number of challenges for companies, but to allow OEMs to address these, they must first choose the right fuse for the right application.

Bussmann, as a 100+ years manufacturer only on fuses. With many products design to meet OEM’s need.

On Main Battery Management System, Bussmann with 800VDC fast acting fuse;

For Power Distribution Unit, Bussmann with EV20-50(20mm diameter) to EV30-400(30mm diameter) high speed fuse, can save the space efficiently.

Also with multiple choice of square body 450VDC, 800VDC fuses.

On DC distribution Box, Bussmann also with auxiliary fuse links(500VDC), 10X38mm, BS88 standard, smaller size, perfect protection on IGBT's and other elecctronics components.

Bussmann designed specifically with the application in mind, It is also typically implemented into the system “early in the design cycle, to best protect all the equipment around the fuse”.

Due to each manufacture, each model, the electrical environment is different, you can not simply use the “off the shelf” design. It may helps on save the cost, but do not always offer the critical protection that fuses are designed for in their application.

“When we look at the cost effectiveness of an item such as a fuse, you really can mitigate against technical issues with much more expensive items such as commercial batteries and motors.” Said Mudge.

To put things into perspective, using Bussmann’s fuses to protect all the necessary components of an EV or hybrid vehicle will cost around US$100. Using “off the shelf fuses” will allow OEMs to save “a few dollars,” but when the fuse is protecting a US$10,000 EV battery pack, it’s “critical” to spend a few extra dollars spent on a better fuse.

“To scrimp on the choice of fuse could really impact what you have when you get to the roadworthy vehicle. You are compromising very expensive components in the car that will cost significant sums of money if they are damaged,” That’s true.

You can imagine,

The choice of fuse is not just important within the EV or hybrid vehicle itself. But it can save a human being’s life

Bussmann with the responsibility to make you safe.