The EPC9196 has been specifically designed for medium-voltage (96 V – 150 V) battery-powered motor drive applications, including steering systems in automated guided vehicles (AGVs), traction motors in compact autonomous vehicles, and precision motor joints in robotics.
According to EPC, the EPC9196 fills a critical gap in the motor drive reference design landscape as no other available reference designs operate at this voltage and current combination. A compact, efficient, and ready-to-deploy solution the device accelerates development and optimises system performance in the lower end of the 25–400 ARMS application range.
At the heart of the EPC9196 is the EPC2304, a 200 V-rated, 3.5 mΩ (typical) eGaN FET in a thermally enhanced QFN package. Chosen for its exceptionally low RDS(on) and performance in compact form factors, the EPC2304 enables the EPC9196 to deliver up to 35 Apk (25 ARMS) phase current at switching frequencies up to 100 kHz.
This translates to low switching losses, minimal dead time, and a smooth, low-noise motor drive profile even at high PWM speeds.
Key features of the EPC9196 include:
- Wide input voltage range, from 30 V to 170 V
- Integrated gate drivers, housekeeping power, current and voltage sense, over-current protection, and thermal monitoring
- Compatible with multiple motor drive controller platforms from Microchip, ST, TI, and Renesas
- dv/dt control optimised for motor drive applications (<10 V/ns)
- Ready for sensorless or encoder-based control configurations
The EPC9196 has been validated in real-world conditions, powering a 3-kW servo motor at 150 VDC and 60 kHz switching frequency. The design delivers clean waveforms with minimal ringing and demonstrates excellent thermal behaviour with and without a heatsink, making it suitable for both bench evaluation and production-intent prototyping.
