Porsche "AC battery"... isn't.

[bananu7]

Modular multi-level inverter: Turning DC into AC

Porsche Engineering has developed the concept of an ‘AC battery’ for electric vehicles that unites numerous components in a single part. It is controlled by a standardized control unit concept with a particularly powerful and real-time-capable computing platform.

newsroom.porsche.com

This is already getting posted as an "AC battery" that "doesn't need an inverter" but even the source calls it closer to the truth, which is a lot of small inverters on a lot of small standalone modules.

Seems interesting nevertheless, I imagine it would spread the controller heat more evenly across the entire pack.

 

[amberwolf]

Seems interesting nevertheless, I imagine it would spread the controller heat more evenly across the entire pack.

Even better is not putting the controller heat anywhere near the battery pack in the first place (except for regions where it is so cold it *has* to be heated even while driving).


That said, I'm sure they had some engineering reason for building it this way, even if I don't know what it is. AFAICT, most commercially-produced engineering designs are compromiises between best design and cost of manufacture, etc.

 

[BatteryMooch]

Modular multi-level inverter: Turning DC into AC

Porsche Engineering has developed the concept of an ‘AC battery’ for electric vehicles that unites numerous components in a single part. It is controlled by a standardized control unit concept with a particularly powerful and real-time-capable computing platform.

newsroom.porsche.com

This is already getting posted as an "AC battery" that "doesn't need an inverter" but even the source calls it closer to the truth, which is a lot of small inverters on a lot of small standalone modules.

Seems interesting nevertheless, I imagine it would spread the controller heat more evenly across the entire pack.

Interesting!
Some solar panel installations use micro-inverters distributed across the array to create easy to install and replace modules, spread the heat, and reduce the impact of any one inverter failing. Maybe the EV manufacturers liked what they saw?

 

[scianiac]

Interesting!
Some solar panel installations use micro-inverters distributed across the array to create easy to install and replace modules, spread the heat, and reduce the impact of any one inverter failing. Maybe the EV manufacturers liked what they saw?

I think one of the main reasons for solar micro inverters is to not limit the whole system output to the most shaded panel which begs the question if you have a battery pack with a multiple inverters could you spread the load to not limit the battery capacity to the weakest block, potentially extending the lifespan of a battery. Probably very little gain there though.

 

[Chalo]

This is already getting posted as an "AC battery" that "doesn't need an inverter" but even the source calls it closer to the truth, which is a lot of small inverters on a lot of small standalone modules.

Sounds to me like a solution in search of a problem.

 

[bananu7]

Sounds to me like a solution in search of a problem.

It does feel like that reading the source. The whole modularity idea where a pack can be dropped and the battery still work is potentially interesting, other than that I'm not seeing it either, having given it a bit more thought.