On-board battery chargers
On-board power circuit converter
Charge interface control device

Onboard Chargers (OBC)

Safe. Reliable. Efficient. KOSTAL is a leading supplier of automotive battery chargers. KOSTAL chargers have been installed as standard in major vehicle platforms and are now in their fourth generation.

Conductive AC charging from 3.6 kW to 22 kW

The ability to charge an electric vehicle anywhere, using a socket, wallbox or charging station, is crucial to the success of electric mobility. The Onboard Charger converts alternating current (AC) into the direct current (DC) required by the vehicle's battery. The flexible design takes into account the different grid connection conditions in relevant markets worldwide (for example single- or multi-phase grids). The development of efficient, dynamic converter algorithms and EMC compatible design are core competencies of KOSTAL.

Facts – Onboard Chargers

Innovation & trends
  • Automatic phase adapation for operation on single- or multi-phase grids
  • Bi-directional operation to feed energy back from the vehicle battery
  • Greater efficiency thanks to wideband gap semiconductor technologies
  • Optional integration of customer's own software modules, e. g. charge management
Performance data & available functionality
  • Support for worldwide charging standards with one- , two- or three-phase AC connections
  • Wide AC voltage range: 85 V - 265 V (per phase)
  • Wide DC voltage ranges in 400 V or 800 V voltage classes
  • Robustness with high protection classes (up to IP6K9K/IP6K7), full automotive reliability for a long lifetime
  • Extensive high-voltage and functional safety features plus cybersecurity in line with current standards and any applicable vehicle specifications

DC/DC Converters

High availability and stability – KOSTAL DC/DC Converters provide a reliable power supply, which is relevant to all drive, assistance and comfort features in a vehicle.

DC/DC conversion HV/LV

The low-voltage (LV) power circuits in modern electric vehicles (12 V or sometimes also 48 V) are primarily supplied from the high-voltage (HV) drive battery. The converter, with a typical power class of 1.5 kW to over 3 kW, converts the HV direct current – which varies depending on the battery configuration and charge status – into stable LV power.

Facts – DC/DC-converter

Innovation & trends
  • High control dynamics, including in vehicle power circuits without a backup battery
  • Bi-directional conversion to pre-charge the high-voltage system
  • Greater efficiency thanks to wideband gap semiconductor technologies
Performance data & available functionality
  • Wide DC voltage ranges in 400 V or 800 V voltage classes
  • Power class 1.5 kW - 2 kW or 3 kW - 3.5 kW
  • Maximum output current: 250 A (example for 3 kW converter with 12 V)
  • High-voltage and functional safety plus cybersecurity in line with current standards and any applicable specifications of the vehicle architecture

Charging Interface Control Units

Worldwide compatibility in accordance with charging standards – KOSTAL solutions for communication between the vehicle and the charging infrastructure allow safe, effective charging and comfort functions.

Whether as a separate control unit or integrated in the Onboard Charger, the Charging Interface Control Unit communicates with the charging pillar or wallbox and coordinates the AC or DC charging process. A small number of regional variants cover all relevant charging standards depending on the customer's specifications.

Other functions include the control of the charging cover (locking and LED) and, if required, the DC isolating contactors in the vehicle.

KOSTAL is one of the first suppliers to offer new standards such as combo DC charging (DIN 70121, since 2013) and plug-and-charge (ISO 15118) in large-scale production for its customers.

Thanks to its software expertise, it can offer tailor-made solutions based on AUTOSAR architectures and modern requirements for functional safety and cyber security, including the integration of OEM software.

Facts – Charging Interface Control Units

Innovation & trends
  • ISO 15118 plug-and-charge, scheduled charging
  • Latest standards ISO 15118 Ed. 2 (including bi-directional and wireless charging) CHAdeMO 3.0 / ChaoJi
  • Strong cyber security in accordance with ISO/SAE 21234
Performance data & available functionality
  • AC charging standards: IEC 61851 (type 1), SAE J1772 (type 2); GB/T 20234
  • DC charging standards: CCS (DIN 70121, ISO 15118), CHAdeMO, GB/T 20234/27930
  • Controls for charging inlet (locking actuators for connector and cover, opening detection), charge status indicator (RGB LED), DC isolating contactors
  • Low-power mode and vehicle wake-up
  • Robustness and full automotive reliability for a long lifetime

Integrated solutions and enhanced functionality

Functional and integration expertise – KOSTAL implements solutions tailored to today's and tomorrow's varying scope of integration of near-battery high-voltage components.

Smart battery charger

The combination of Onboard Charger and Charging Interface Control Unit is very popular in series production today. With its broad expertise, from power electronics to software engineering, KOSTAL offers safe, reliable and high-performance products.

Combined battery charger and DC/DC Converter

Depending on the requirements of the vehicle architecture and available space, an Onboard Charger and DC/DC Converter can be combined to provide significant synergies in terms of space, weight and costs.

High-voltage power distribution and other features

The HV power supplied by the vehicle battery must be distributed to various components, including auxiliary units such as air conditioning compressors, heating systems, and to one or more drive inverters. Since both the Onboard Charger and the DC/DC-Converter are part of the vehicle's HV power circuit, appropriate distribution and monitoring functions can be integrated.