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28 SMT007 MAGAZINE I OCTOBER 2025 EV Applications: A Platform-centric View Today's EV architectures can be classified into sev- eral major categories, each presenting distinct electronic system requirements. Passenger EVs and light-duty vehicles comprise the most visible vehicles in the public eye, including cars, cross- overs, and SUVs. Key design goals include long- range, consumer-facing infotainment, seamless OTA updates, and compact thermal and electrical systems. Powertrain voltages range from 400V to 800V, demanding high-voltage insulation and light- weight, thermally robust electronics 2 . Commer- cial and heavy-duty truck applications require very reliable electronics for long-haul durability, regen- erative braking, higher voltage requirements, and extensive diagnostics. Transit and city bus plat- forms, some with fuel cells, face aggressive duty cycles with frequent stop-and-go operation and thermal cycling 3 . Electronics often face wide temperature swings, vibration, urban pollution, and continuous charg- ing/discharging stress. Reliability in this category hinges on protective coatings, robust connectors, and predictable thermal management 4 . Two- and three-wheel EVs are often used in Asia and emerg- ing markets. These platforms emphasize cost-effec- tiveness, simplicity, and ease of repair. While gen- erally lower in power and sophistication, their high- volume deployment makes even small electronics failures significant in aggregate 5 . Each application category creates unique reli- ability requirements for electronics. Voltage stress, mechanical shock, ingress protection, electromag- netic compatibility (EMC), and software resilience must be tuned accordingly. Manufacturers risk underperformance, warranty costs, and recalls without tailoring reliabil- ity strategies to the target use case. Why Platform Matters to Electronics Reliability Unlike combustion-based platforms, EV architectures heavily consoli- date electronic functionality. A fail- ure in one embedded control unit, e.g., a battery management system (BMS) or vehicle control unit (VCU), can cascade across systems and compromise safety, drivability, and battery integrity. This interdepen- dence means that electronic reliabil- ity must be assessed at the system level, not in isolated subsystems. Furthermore, multiple vehicle mod- els may share common electronic modules as platform consolidation accelerates. A design flaw in one system could therefore manifest across an entire fleet, magnify- ing the consequences of any reliability gap. Design- for-reliability (DFR) practices such as thermal simu- lation, accelerated life testing, and FMEA must now be integrated early in the EV product lifecycle and scaled to address platform modularity and shared electronics across SKUs 6 . Global Market Dynamics and Strategic Challenges EV adoption is far from uniform across geographies. As of 2024, China leads the global market by vol- ume, driven by aggressive policy incentives, strong domestic supply chains, and lower ownership costs compared to ICE vehicles. Europe follows closely with high environmental standards and carbon tax- ation, supporting growth. EV growth in the U.S. is slower than in China and Europe, stemming from