Power Integrations Rolls Out Reference Design Kit for Solar Race Cars Featuring High-Efficiency Gallium-Nitride IC

DARWIN, Australia & SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug 21, 2025--

Power Integrations is rolling out a new reference design kit tailored specifically for solar-powered race cars as 37 student teams prepare to race across the Outback in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge starting August 24.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250821250611/en/

The kit, RDK-85SLR, features the PI™ InnoSwitch™3-AQ IC , which incorporates PI’s PowiGaN™ gallium-nitride switch technology. The kit is inspired by a design created by PI’s PowerPros ℠ online support engineers in collaboration with the ETH Zurich aCentauri team, whose #85 ‘Silvretta’ challenger-class car is using the design to maximize efficiency in its auxiliary power supply.

“Thousands of engineering students participate in solar car challenges around the world each year, and these innovators will help bring about a more sustainable future,” said Andy Smith, director of technical outreach and training for Power Integrations. “We are providing this reference kit to help young engineers take advantage of the latest, most energy-efficient technologies, such as PowiGaN, in their designs.”

The design kit includes everything needed to create a 46-watt power supply that delivers up to 80 watts for short periods—making it ideal for use as an auxiliary power supply in a solar race car. It employs the company’s InnoSwitch3-AQ flyback power supply IC with a highly efficient PowiGaN switch and eliminates the need for a heatsink, enabling more compact, lightweight, and cost-effective designs. Contents of the kit include a sample power supply, four InnoSwitch3-AQ ICs, and an unpopulated PCB. It is backed by a report containing power supply and magnetics transformer build instructions, schematics, a PCB layout guide, a parts list and comprehensive performance data. Live tech support is available from Power Integrations’ PowerPros team.

“We proved PowiGaN’s reliability, performance and efficiency in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge in 2023,” stated Aaron Griesser, lead electrical engineer from the 2023 aCentauri team. “We achieved 95 percent efficiency across both light and full loads with a broad output range of 5 to 60 W. Additionally, the scrutineering judges were astounded to see an auxiliary power supply without a heatsink.”

Power Integrations is a proud sponsor of the aCentauri team and will be reporting on the race from Mr. Green’s Blog and PI’s social media channels using hashtag #PowiGaNVan.

Availability & Resources

Reference design kit RDK-85SLR is priced at $50. Solar race car teams can get the kit free by registering online.

About Power Integrations

Power Integrations, Inc., is a leading innovator in semiconductor technologies for high-voltage power conversion. The company’s products are key building blocks in the clean-power ecosystem, enabling the generation of renewable energy as well as the efficient transmission and consumption of power in applications ranging from milliwatts to megawatts. For more information, please visit www.power.com.

Power Integrations, the Power Integrations logo, PI, PowiGaN, PowerPros and InnoSwitch3-AQ are trademarks, service marks or registered trademarks of Power Integrations, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owner.

RDK-85SLR includes everything needed to create a 46-watt power supply. Solar race car teams can get the kit free by registering online.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson will be sidelined for three to five weeks after undergoing a procedure to treat a left thigh injury, putting his Olympic participation for Sweden in question.

Carlsson had the procedure Friday in Los Angeles on a Morel-Lavallée lesion — a rare degloving injury in which skin and fat become separated from fascia tissue, leaving a fluid-filled space.

“I haven't heard exactly how he's doing right now, but I'm sure he's in the situation where he's going through the process and the procedure that he went through,” Anaheim coach Joel Quenneville said after the Ducks beat the Los Angeles Kings 3-2 in a shootout Friday night. "We wish him nothing but the best, and then have a great recovery and come back and help us out."

Carlsson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2023 draft, got off to an exceptional start for the Ducks this season with 38 points in his first 29 games. But he had been in a scoring slump for the past month, producing just six points in the past 15 games.

Quenneville acknowledged that Carlsson had been attempting to play through the problem.

“Yeah, but I don't know for how long, and then I think it progressively got worse,” Quenneville said. “It was one of those things that they had to nab it when they did today.”

The 21-year-old Carlsson was selected for Sweden's Olympic team, but the Milan-Cortina Games begin in 3 1/2 weeks.

Carlsson is still the leading scorer for the Ducks this season with 44 points in 44 games. His extended absence is another setback for Anaheim, which has slumped for the past five weeks after spending much of the season's first 2 1/2 months in first place in the Pacific Division.

Despite playing without their top two scorers due to injury, the Ducks rallied from a two-goal deficit to win at Los Angeles in the first leg of a home-and-home Freeway Faceoff miniseries. Troy Terry was placed on injured reserve with an upper-body injury, missing his fourth straight game.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/NHL

Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson (91) celebrates after his goal with defenseman Ian Moore (74) during the third period of an NHL hockey game against the Buffalo Sabres, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)