©ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/CHESKY_W By Steven E. Schulz HE KEY COMPONENTS IN AN ELECTRIC VEHICLE (EV) propulsion system are the dc energy source (either a battery or a fuel cell), the inverter, the motor, and the gear reduction. This article will focus on the inverter unit and highlight unique requirements, constraints, and important design considerations. The top-level function of the inverter is to convert dc bus quantities to high-fidelity ac current and voltage required to drive the traction motor. The automotive industry T Exploring the high-Power Inverter Reviewing critical design elements for electric vehicle applications. Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MELE.2016.2644281 Date of publication: 7 March 2017 28 I E E E E l e c t r i f i cati o n M agaz ine / march 2017 2325-5987/17©2017IEEEhttp://www.ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/CHESKY_W