<Snip>
RWD motor for the Model S and X is equipped with a 320kW inverter built on TO-247 insulated-gate bipolar transistor packages or IGBTs:
<Snip>
familiar with the Model 3 powertrain program confirmed that Tesla tapped the same engineers who worked on the dual motor inverter architecture to develop the Model 3’s, but this time, they were given a blank sheet to develop the system from the ground up, including the power semiconductor package.
Considering that Tesla now plans to produce as many as 500,000 cars in 2018, the volume is starting to make more sense for developing custom components for its power electronics.
According to the source, the strategy paid off and the inverter architecture for the Model 3 will have a capacity of “over 300kW”, comparable to the Model S’ RWD system even though the S is a much higher-end and bigger vehicle.
The system is also geared toward manufacturing with ~25% fewer unique parts and they managed to significantly increase both the volumetric and gravimetric current density. The Model 3 inverter is also expected to be much cheaper on a dollar per power capacity basis than even Tesla’s most recent dual motor inverter system.
<Snip>
