Presenter: Shesha H. Jayaram, P.Eng.

Host: Kimberly Borini

The rapid advancement of electric vehicles (EVs) is redefining the interaction between power electronics and high-voltage insulation engineering. The push for higher efficiency and compact designs has led to the adoption of hairpin-wound motors, increased operating voltages, and wide-bandgap (WBG) converters. While these innovations improve performance, they also introduce reliability challenges. Compact geometries elevate thermal stress, and fast-switching WBG devices generate significantly high-frequency transients and steep voltage gradients (high dV/dt), accelerating insulation aging.
This presentation highlights the need for an integrated engineering approach that links converter behavior, dielectric material response, and thermal management. The combined impact of electrical and thermal stresses on material degradation and partial discharge activity is critical to insulation performance. Insulation is not merely a passive layer but a functional enabler of system reliability. Its robustness will play a decisive role in ensuring efficient, durable, and sustainable operation of next-generation electric vehicles.