2026, Vol. 7, Issue 1, Part A
Energy conversion losses in electric vehicle auxiliary power systems: A basic analytical study
Author(s): Pieter Johannes van der Berg and Anna Maria de Vries
Abstract: Electric vehicle range anxiety remains a significant barrier to widespread adoption, with auxiliary power systems contributing substantially to total energy consumption beyond propulsion requirements. This research conducted analytical investigation of energy conversion losses in auxiliary power systems across a representative sample of battery electric vehicles operating in Dutch urban and highway conditions from March 2023 through September 2023. Field measurements encompassed 23 vehicles representing compact, midsize, and premium segments with auxiliary system architectures ranging from centralized single-converter designs to distributed multi-converter configurations. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning system emerged as the dominant auxiliary load, consuming between 1.2 kW and 3.8 kW depending on ambient conditions and cabin temperature setpoints, with conversion efficiency ranging from 87.3% to 94.2% across measured operating points. DC-DC converter losses for low-voltage auxiliary supply averaged 6.8% of transferred power under typical loading conditions, with efficiency degradation of 2.3 percentage points observed at ambient temperatures below 0 °C. Total auxiliary system losses represented 8.4% to 15.7% of battery energy consumption during urban driving cycles, increasing to 4.2% to 9.3% during highway operation where propulsion power dominates. Distributed converter architectures demonstrated 4.4 percentage points higher system efficiency compared to centralized designs through reduced cable losses and optimized individual converter loading. An analytical loss model incorporating conduction, switching, magnetic, and standby components achieved prediction accuracy within 3.2% of measured losses across varied operating conditions. These findings provide quantitative foundation for auxiliary system optimization strategies that could meaningfully extend electric vehicle driving range.
DOI: 10.22271/27083969.2026.v7.i1a.96
Pages: 55-60 | Views: 43 | Downloads: 20
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How to cite this article:
Pieter Johannes van der Berg, Anna Maria de Vries. Energy conversion losses in electric vehicle auxiliary power systems: A basic analytical study. Int J Electr Data Commun 2026;7(1):55-60. DOI: 10.22271/27083969.2026.v7.i1a.96
