Eaton joins ENLIGHTEN R&D project to supercharge electric vehicle efficiency with high-voltage powertrain

Date: March 24, 2025

• Eaton partners with leading automotive companies, research institutions, and universities in the EU-funded ENLIGHTEN R&D project.
• Consortium will develop a cutting-edge 1200 volt powertrain to unlock superior electric vehicle efficiency and sustainability.
• Innovative powertrain design, including a high-voltage Power Distribution Unit, will set a new standard for eMobility performance.
   

ROZTOKY, Czech Republic –  Intelligent power management company Eaton today announced it is joining the ENLIGHTEN project consortium. Spanning four years to 2028 and co-funded by the EU, this ambitious R&D effort aims to develop, test, and deploy a next-generation electric vehicle (EV) powertrain operating at 1200 volts. 

Currently operating at 400 or 800 volts, today’s EVs face energy inefficiencies that limit performance — especially in heavy-duty applications. By developing a higher voltage powertrain integrating advanced power electronics, the ENLIGHTEN project aims to minimize energy losses and set a new standard for system efficiency in future EVs.

ENLIGHTEN unites significant industry and academic expertise, with nine project participants and two associate partners. Lead by Austrian Institute of Technology, the consortium includes Manifattura Automobili Torino, Lead Tech, Cambridge GaN Devices, Eaton, as well as leading research institutions IFP Energies Nouvelles, Aarhus University, Ingolstadt University, Politecnico di Torino alongside associate partners FPT Motorenforschung and ETH Zurich. Together, the participants will develop and validate a next-generation 1200 volt DC electric powertrain — incorporating a dual-voltage battery system that can be dynamically adjusted while driving, fast and efficient (GaN) gallium nitride semiconductor-based DC/DC converters, an integrated motor-inverter powertrain to achieve superior power density and efficiency including an innovative E-drive inverter using a highly efficient multilevel GaN converter topology and an AC/DC capable on-board charger will also enable seamless compatibility with existing charging infrastructure.

 Acting as a Tier 1 supplier for the project, Eaton will play a major role in R&D — with Eaton Research Labs in Roztoky designing and developing a high-voltage Power Distribution Unit (PDU) compact enough for a C-segment vehicle. As the central hub for power flow management and protection, the PDU will play a critical role in ensuring safe and efficient energy distribution across the high-voltage powertrain.

“As the automotive industry accelerates its pivotal shift to electrification, it's essential to enhance powertrain efficiency,” comments Shane Malo, specialist engineer, Eaton Research Labs. “Our work on a 1200 volt powertrain will reduce energy losses and ensure higher power delivery for demanding applications. We’re also considering the wider impact on manufacturers, suppliers, and charging infrastructure to create a solution that’s both cost-effective and commercially viable. Ultimately, our efforts will enable more sustainable electric vehicles with longer range, faster charging times, and greater reliability.”

After kicking off the project in February, the R&D team will now confirm the powertrain topology and finalize all electrical and mechanical requirements by the end of this year. In 2026, the focus will move to powertrain provisioning, assembly, and testing. The last two years of the project will see integration of the complete powertrain into a C-segment vehicle, followed by validation and final delivery.

About Eaton 

Eaton is an intelligent power management company dedicated to protecting the environment and improving the quality of life for people everywhere. We make products for the data center, utility, industrial, commercial, machine building, residential, aerospace and mobility markets. We are guided by our commitment to do business right, to operate sustainably and to help our customers manage power ─ today and well into the future. By capitalizing on the global growth trends of electrification and digitalization, we’re helping to solve the world’s most urgent power management challenges and building a more sustainable society for people today and generations to come.   

Founded in 1911, Eaton has continuously evolved to meet the changing and expanding needs of our stakeholders. With revenues of nearly $25 billion in 2024, the company serves customers in more than 160 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com. Follow us on LinkedIn.

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Nathalie Lapoirie
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