EPC launches 5 kW GaN motor inverter boards for light EVs and robotics

Efficient Power Conversion (EPC) has unveiled two new 3-phase BLDC motor inverter evaluation boards, the EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3, designed for light electric vehicles and robotics applications. Both platforms support motor drive systems up to 5 kW and incorporate EPC’s latest 100 V EPC2361 eGaN FETs, which enable higher switching speeds, improved current handling, and more compact inverter designs. These boards are targeted at a broad range of applications including electric scooters, forklifts, agricultural machinery, battery-powered mobility devices, and high-power drones. The new boards build on EPC’s previous EPC9186 platform but feature a redesigned power stage utilising the EPC2361 GaN devices, enhancing conduction performance and enabling more cost-effective operation in demanding motion-control environments. The key difference between the two models lies in the number of parallel transistors per switch position: the EPC9186HC2 uses two, while the EPC9186HC3 employs three, which further reduces on-resistance and boosts efficiency at higher loads. Compared to traditional silicon MOSFETs, these GaN devices offer lower gate charge and output capacitance, facilitating faster switching, reduced losses, smaller passive components, and higher motor control bandwidth. The boards are capable of handling phase currents up to 150 ARMS, depending on the current-sensing configuration, and support PWM switching frequencies as high as 120 kHz with DC input voltages up to 76 V. They also feature a dv/dt of approximately 6 V/ns and integrate a comprehensive suite of functions including gate drivers, high-bandwidth phase-current sensing, voltage monitoring, housekeeping power supplies, over-current detection, and input undervoltage lockout. These capabilities are crucial for motor-drive engineers, as inverter efficiency, acoustic noise, and control bandwidth significantly influence real-world system performance. Supporting both sensorless and encoder-based motor control, the new boards are compatible with controller platforms from leading manufacturers such as Microchip, Texas Instruments, and STMicroelectronics. The integrated phase-current sensing further enables advanced field-oriented control, enhancing precision and responsiveness in motor operation. Priced at $1080, the EPC9186HC2 and EPC9186HC3 evaluation boards are now available through major distributors Digi-Key and Mouser, offering developers a powerful toolset for advancing electric motor drive designs in light EV and robotics sectors.