Next-Gen Flat Cable Connector for High Power EV Systems: A SWaP-Centric Design

The rapid growth of electric vehicles (EVs) demands power delivery systems that are not only efficient but also compact, lightweight, and rugged—especially in high-voltage, high-current applications. Traditional round cable systems, while long established, present critical limitations in EV platforms, including increased copper usage, thermal inefficiencies, and packaging constraints in space-restricted environments. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a SWaP (Size, Weight, and Power) optimized flat cable solution integrated with a high-performance connector system. Unlike conventional connectors that struggle with sealing, bulkiness, and lack of adaptability to flat conductors, the proposed flat cable connector offers a compact, robust interface with enhanced thermal management, reduced weight, and improved creepage and clearance characteristics. This design enables reliable operation under harsh environmental conditions, including high altitude and vibration. The paper outlines the shortcomings of existing connector technologies and demonstrates how the new flat cable connector architecture overcomes these limitations, offering a breakthrough for nextgeneration EV power architectures.