Teardown of Chevy Volt inverter assembly

[saike]

Here is something I saw when looking for a new vehicle to buy.
It gives some idea of the sums of money involved.
https://www.greencarreports.com/news/1093244_2016-chevy-volt-to-get-more-efficient-less-expensive-inverter

All I can think when I see this is, a 1$ component failure in there means a $5000 repair bill. I have just given up on one vehicle (non electric) and sold it because of an intermittent electrical fault that stranded me one too many times.

[mtdoc]

All I can think when I see this is, a 1$ component failure in there means a $5000 repair bill. I have just given up on one vehicle (non electric) and sold it because of an intermittent electrical fault that stranded me one too many times.

Welcome to the world of modern vehicles.  Such concerns are not limited to EVs.

Keep in mind that on the Volt the Voltec warranty is good for 8 years and 100k miles and covers the inverter, battery and other hybrid specific components.  Of course, even more extended warranty coverage is also available at a price...

[bicycleguy]

Make no mistake -- that one module is at least a million dollars of engineering.  Probably ten.  Design would've started with breadboard prototypes, then design prototypes, then production prototypes, and finally production.  When you're making a million of something, it doesn't even stop there: there is production engineering, from securing the supply chain, to the logistics of getting everything in, on time, every time.
Tim

Brings back memories, as an ME in electronic packaging, worked on EV IGBT for EV1 in mid 1980s?  This was just after GM bought Hughes Aircraft.  But about that million dollars, just like any technology, you try not to forget the past and build on it.  Attached is what we were doing back then.  Frankly, it doesn't look like they've made all that much progress.  We were doing thermal stress analysis of the large silicon die attachment.  The picture, just taken is of a never lidded IGBT thats been in my desk and various bins for 30+ years.  Still looks good!  I think this one had aluminum silicon carbide composite heat spreaders.

Do remember that GM was quite ruthless.  They would assign similar tasks to us California military-aerospace engineers and local Detroit engineers.  In the reviews the Detroit guys got to see what we were up to, but we weren't allowed to see much of their work or know the overall picture.  They would pick the best of whatever we came up with.  Did the same with vendors.  Wasn't to sad when they sold us to Raytheon.  Hitachi may make their current IGBT but I can tell you GM is steering the design. 

[schmitt trigger]

bicicleguy;
You are correct. Good engineering holds itself up for several decades.

In particular, I have lots of admiration for the West Coast aerospace companies. Some of their airframe designs made in the 1960s are still viable platforms 50 years later.