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What do designers need to consider when designing EV powertrains for off-road vehicles? The first factor that engineers need to account for with off-road vehicles is that the larger size of such vehicles requires larger motors, bigger batteries, and greater voltages and currents. Therefore, safety is critical, as personnel operating these vehicles will be near high voltages, and vehicles undergoing maintenance present electric shock danger to mechanics. At the same time, the switch toward EVs can in some instances create quiet vehicles, which can be dangerous for those working near EVs, who may not hear the vehicle approaching (workers at construction sites and mining facilities may be wearing ear protectors). Thus, any electrical system used in off- road vehicles needs to make use of circuit protection solutions to mitigate against undervoltage, overvoltage, transient voltages, overcurrent, temperature, and electrostatic build up. Protective measures for batteries are also extremely important, as off-highway vehicles will likely have significantly greater power requirements than on-road vehicles. Such requirements will demand larger batteries, which present a much higher electrical risk. Finally, off-highway vehicles will require similar sensing and power control solutions as on-highway vehicles, albeit often in larger and more robust versions to account for the greater power available to off-highway powertrains. Such solutions include power semiconductors and their respective gate drivers; rectifier and switching diodes; a wide range of sensors, contactors, and relays; and low-voltage and high-voltage power distribution units. EV powertrains use electrical energy rather than mechanical energy, and high-voltage batteries take the place of a fuel tank. Traditional ICEs typically have 40% or less fuel efficiency, which makes the EV powertrain much more attractive at 80-85% overall efficiency. Utilizing high voltage systems reduces the load currents, enabling the use of smaller cable sizes and components." C h a p t e r 2 | P o w e r t r a i n S o l u t i o n s f o r O f f - H i g h w a y E l e c t r i c V e h i c l e s Julia Nitti Business Development Manager, eMobility – Commercial Vehicles, Littelfuse 12 7 Experts on Automotive Powertrains