A comprehensive review and comparative analysis of bridgeless power factor correction converter topologies for electric vehicle charging applications

The rapid adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has significantly increased the demand for high-efficiency and reliable AC–DC converters in both onboard and offboard charging systems. Bridgeless (BL) power factor correction (PFC) converters have emerged as attractive alternatives to conventional diode-bridge-based front-end architectures due to their reduced conduction losses and improved input current quality. This review presents a systematic and comparative assessment of widely reported BL-PFC converter topologies, including the BL Buck–Boost, BL Cuk, BL SEPIC, BL Zeta, and BL Luo converters. The comparison is conducted using key performance indicators, including voltage gain characteristics, input power factor, total harmonic distortion (THD), semiconductor voltage and current stress, and component count. Analytical insights, complemented by MATLAB/Simulink-based comparative evaluations, are employed to elucidate the inherent trade-offs among the different configurations. The review highlights that, consistent with trends reported in the literature, the BL Zeta and BL Luo converters exhibit superior overall performance in terms of power quality, reduced device stress, and balanced component requirements. In addition, this work consolidates existing knowledge, identifies key design challenges, and outlines future research directions aimed at reducing circuit complexity, improving reliability, and enabling high-performance, compact, and cost-effective EV charging systems.