Q: What is V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) and how does HEC fit?

V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) is a bidirectional power-flow architecture that lets the EV battery feed energy back to the grid. Benefits include grid balancing (EVs acting as a virtual power plant), peak demand management, renewable integration (smoothing solar/wind variability) and revenue for the vehicle owner. HEC's V2G strengths: • 400 V / 800 V intelligent switching — works with V2G stations of either voltage • Bidirectional power flow compatibility — safe in both charge (grid → car) and discharge (car → grid) directions • Battery balancing — A-only / B-only modes manage V2G-induced pack imbalance • ASIL-D position sensor — real-time state monitoring during V2G V2G will become a critical EV-market feature within five years; HEC sits at the centre of that trend.

Q: What are HEC's physical dimensions and mounting features?

Dimensions: 100 × 97 × 71 mm, with 3-pole contactor + position sensor + bistable coil in one device. Connection: busbar termination optimised for high current — direct busbar integration instead of conventional cable terminals. Mounting: panel-mount, integrating directly into the EV power-electronics panel; no cooling required thanks to the bistable coil's negligible heat; hermetically sealed for outdoor and humid environments. Environmental: 25 kA short-circuit withstand (without explosion or fire), 90 g shock withstand (incl. heavy-duty vehicles) and 100,000-cycle mechanical life. The compact footprint makes integration into tight pack spaces easy — critical for premium and performance EVs.

Question 1

What is HEC and why is it considered a breakthrough contactor?

Accepted Answer

GIGAVAC HEC (High Efficiency Contactor) is the next-generation intelligent switching solution Sensata Technologies launched on 17 July 2025 for 800 V electric vehicles. The breakthrough: as the EV market moves to 800 V architectures for faster charging and higher efficiency, the existing 400 V charging infrastructure remains dominant worldwide. HEC reconfigures the 800 V EV battery on-the-fly between 400 V (parallel) and 800 V (series) modes so the vehicle can charge at both existing 400 V chargers and next-gen 800 V fast chargers — without an expensive DC/DC boost converter. This removes the biggest infrastructure barrier to 800 V EV adoption.

Question 2

How does HEC work? What does "mechanically synchronised 3 poles" mean?

Accepted Answer

At the core of HEC are three patent-pending mechanically synchronised high-voltage contactor poles. Each pole controls a separate current path, but the open/close motion of the three poles is mechanically linked — like a gear mechanism. Operating modes:

• Series Mode (800 V drive/charge): two 400 V packs in series → 800 V output
• Parallel Mode (400 V drive/charge): two packs in parallel → 400 V output, double capacity
• Isolation Mode (all open): emergency stop, service and safety
• A-only: only pack A active, B isolated
• B-only: only pack B active, A isolated

Mechanical synchronisation makes a wrong combination physically impossible — even software faults, contact welding or mechanical shock cannot break this guarantee. The result is an inherently safe architecture compared with traditional multi-independent contactor solutions.

Question 3

What does "without a boost converter" mean? What cost and complexity benefits does it bring?

Accepted Answer

In traditional 800 V EV architectures a DC/DC boost converter is required for the car to charge at 400 V stations. Drawbacks:

• High cost: a boost converter is an expensive component (thousands of dollars)
• Extra mass: 10-30 kg added weight → reduced range
• Volume: less usable pack space
• Thermal management: requires its own cooling
• Efficiency loss: 3-5% energy lost during charging
• Complexity: extra BMS and control electronics

With HEC the approach flips: reconfigure the battery itself. No boost converter is needed because the battery's 400 V/800 V state is changed mechanically by HEC. Component count drops by more than 50%, weight and cost fall, the system simplifies, and overall energy efficiency stays high.

Question 4

HEC has "five different states" — what advantage does that provide?

Accepted Answer

HEC delivers five battery-configuration states, covering every EV use-case in a single device:

1. Series Mode (800 V drive/charge) — packs A and B in series → high-voltage fast charge (350 kW+) and high-efficiency driving
2. Parallel Mode (400 V drive/charge) — packs A and B in parallel → existing 400 V infrastructure, double capacity
3. Isolation Mode (open-isolated) — all connections open → e-stop, service, safety
4. A-only — only pack A active, B isolated → battery balancing or limp-home if B fails
5. B-only — only pack B active, A isolated → battery balancing or limp-home if A fails

With these five states one HEC handles driving, charging, safety, service and fault-tolerance modes.

Question 5

What are battery balancing and limp-home mode, and why do they matter?

Accepted Answer

Battery balancing: modern 800 V EVs typically contain two 400 V packs. Over time packs age at different rates (production tolerances, temperature differences), uneven use creates imbalance, and one pack can degrade faster than the other. With HEC's A-only / B-only modes the imbalanced pack can be charged independently and rebalanced, keeping both packs at the same state of health long-term — extending battery life and lowering warranty cost.

Limp-home mode: in traditional 800 V architectures a single pack failure leaves the vehicle unable to drive — the driver is stranded. With HEC the healthy pack can be activated alone so the vehicle keeps moving (at reduced capacity) and reaches a safe location, service station or home. This directly impacts OEM warranty cost and brand reliability.

Question 6

What does "bistable coil" and "0 W holding power" mean? Why is it so important?

Accepted Answer

Bistable (latching) coil: traditional contactors use a mono-stable coil that must burn power continuously to stay open or closed. A bistable coil has two stable positions; once switched it needs zero power to hold position.

Benefits of HEC's 0 W holding power:
• No energy draw: while driving or charging HEC stays engaged but burns no coil power → more range
• Negligible heat: no continuous power, no warming → no extra cooling needed
• Silent operation: no PWM noise, minimal EMI
• Long life: no thermal stress, coil winding does not degrade

Traditional contactors typically dissipate 5-15 W of holding power; HEC drops this to zero — meaningful range gain for an EV doing 10,000-15,000 km a year.

Question 7

What does "inherently safe" mean?

Accepted Answer

Traditional battery-switching systems use a separate contactor per pole, each driven independently by software. That topology is exposed to short-circuit risks: software errors causing a wrong switching combination, welded contacts (one stays closed while another opens), and mechanical shock that can move contactors to a wrong position.

HEC's patent-pending mechanically synchronised design makes these risks physically impossible:
• The three poles are mechanically linked like a gear train
• A wrong combination cannot physically occur
• Software faults, contact welding or mechanical shock cannot break the safety
• "Best-in-class safety and reliability" (Sensata's official wording)

This directly supports ASIL-D — the highest automotive safety integrity level.

Question 8

How does HEC relate to Megawatt Charging?

Accepted Answer

Megawatt Charging (MCS) is the next-gen fast-charge standard for electric trucks and buses, delivering 1 MW (1000 kW) and above. Specs include 1500 Vdc, 3000 A, typically 80% charge in ~20 minutes.

HEC's MCS-relevant strengths:
• 1000 A+ continuous current — sized for MCS levels
• Ultra-low contact resistance (<50 µΩ) — minimal loss even at high current
• 3-pole mechanically synchronised design — safe high-power switching
• NACS / J3400 compatibility — full integration with the North American MCS infrastructure

For heavy-duty electric truck and bus OEMs, HEC delivers 400 V depot charging + 800 V MCS charging in a single device.

Question 9

What is V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) and how does HEC fit?

Accepted Answer

V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) is a bidirectional power-flow architecture that lets the EV battery feed energy back to the grid. Benefits include grid balancing (EVs acting as a virtual power plant), peak demand management, renewable integration (smoothing solar/wind variability) and revenue for the vehicle owner.

HEC's V2G strengths:
• 400 V / 800 V intelligent switching — works with V2G stations of either voltage
• Bidirectional power flow compatibility — safe in both charge (grid → car) and discharge (car → grid) directions
• Battery balancing — A-only / B-only modes manage V2G-induced pack imbalance
• ASIL-D position sensor — real-time state monitoring during V2G

V2G will become a critical EV-market feature within five years; HEC sits at the centre of that trend.

Question 10

What are HEC's physical dimensions and mounting features?

Accepted Answer

Dimensions: 100 × 97 × 71 mm, with 3-pole contactor + position sensor + bistable coil in one device.

Connection: busbar termination optimised for high current — direct busbar integration instead of conventional cable terminals.

Mounting: panel-mount, integrating directly into the EV power-electronics panel; no cooling required thanks to the bistable coil's negligible heat; hermetically sealed for outdoor and humid environments.

Environmental: 25 kA short-circuit withstand (without explosion or fire), 90 g shock withstand (incl. heavy-duty vehicles) and 100,000-cycle mechanical life. The compact footprint makes integration into tight pack spaces easy — critical for premium and performance EVs.

Question 11

When should I choose HEC over other GIGAVAC families?

Accepted Answer

Choose by application and architecture level:

• HEC: modern 800 V EVs needing 400 V / 800 V intelligent switching, V2G + Megawatt charging integration, ASIL-D functional-safety premium projects.
• FaultBreak™: EV main protection + switching in one device (combined fuse + contactor), ISO-26262 compliant — protection-focused.
• GTM: V2G-capable ESS, DC fast charging, GTMS glass-to-metal sealing, 1500 Vdc.
• HX: 1500 Vdc utility-scale solar and EV truck/bus, EPIC® patented ceramic sealing.
• GX: 800 Vdc main EV power contactor, 26 models.
• MX: heavy-duty industrial and military (MIL-R-6106).
• GV: economical high-performance, many variants.
• P: MiniTACTOR™ compact pre-charge and solar.

HEC stands out as a stand-alone battery-management solution for 800 V EV platforms designed from 2025 onwards. Pairing HEC + FaultBreak in the same system defines the gold standard for modern EV power architecture.

Question 12

What are HEC's benefits for EV OEMs?

Accepted Answer

Strategic benefits for EV OEMs:

1. Architecture simplification: component count drops by 50%+ (no boost converter, no multi-contactor stack, no harness); 3-pole + position sensor + bistable coil in one device.
2. Cost: eliminating the boost converter saves thousands of dollars; the BOM simplifies.
3. Performance: bistable coil increases range; ultra-low contact resistance minimises losses; fast charging on both 400 V and 800 V infrastructure.
4. Safety: inherently safe — short-circuit risk is physically impossible; ASIL-D position sensor for real-time diagnostics; 25 kA short-circuit + 90 g shock withstand.
5. Customer experience: drivers can charge at any 400 V or 800 V station — charge anxiety drops; limp-home minimises stranding risk; battery balancing extends pack life and lowers warranty exposure.

Brian Wilkie (Sensata EVP, Vehicle Business): "HEC's launch reflects Sensata's commitment to solving real-world electrification challenges with innovative and efficient solutions. These contactors power safer and more efficient vehicles, making EVs more practical and accelerating the adoption of next-generation platforms."

Question 13

When did HEC launch and what is the supply situation in Turkey?

Accepted Answer

Launch timeline:
• 17 July 2025: global press release from Sensata Technologies (NYSE: ST), Swindon UK
• Late 2025: integration discussions with EV OEMs began
• 2026: entry into volume-production projects expected
• 2026-2030: target of becoming a standard component on next-gen 800 V EV platforms

Sensata positions HEC as a key enabler of modern 800 V EV adoption. Brian Wilkie: "making EVs more practical and accelerating adoption of next-generation platforms."

IMB Electric is the authorised distributor of GIGAVAC HEC in Turkey — contact us for stock, pricing and technical support. As a new technology HEC sits in the premium price segment, but boost-converter elimination and architecture simplification make it highly competitive on EV OEM project life-cycle cost. We offer integration engineering, sample supply and volume-production planning to OEM customers.

Question 14

How can I purchase and evaluate HEC?

Accepted Answer

As the authorised GIGAVAC HEC distributor in Turkey, IMB Electric offers EV OEM and supplier customers:

1. Sample supply & evaluation: samples per Sensata global stock; test support for 400 V / 800 V switching scenarios; validation of battery balancing and limp-home modes.
2. Technical support: EV power-architecture integration planning; ASIL-D functional-safety assessment; V2G and Megawatt-charging integration consultancy; test-protocol and verification support.
3. Volume-production support: project-based pricing; supply-chain planning; direct coordination with Sensata Technologies.
4. Training & information: technical webinar access; datasheets and application notes.

We are happy to build a tailored plan for your OEM and tier-1 projects — please reach us through the Contact section.

About the HEC Series series

01What is HEC and why is it considered a breakthrough contactor?

02How does HEC work? What does "mechanically synchronised 3 poles" mean?

03What does "without a boost converter" mean? What cost and complexity benefits does it bring?

04HEC has "five different states" — what advantage does that provide?

05What are battery balancing and limp-home mode, and why do they matter?

06What does "bistable coil" and "0 W holding power" mean? Why is it so important?

07What does "inherently safe" mean?

08How does HEC relate to Megawatt Charging?

09What is V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) and how does HEC fit?

10What are HEC's physical dimensions and mounting features?

11When should I choose HEC over other GIGAVAC families?

12What are HEC's benefits for EV OEMs?

13When did HEC launch and what is the supply situation in Turkey?

14How can I purchase and evaluate HEC?