A switching power stage for producing an output voltage to a load, comprising: a power converter comprising a power inductor and plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and a controller (22, 24) configured to: based on a controller input signal or an output voltage (V out) of the switching power stage, sequentially select a selected operational mode of the power converter from a plurality of operational modes, the plurality of operational modes comprising at least: a first operational mode that includes a first charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a first discharging phase in which a first terminal of the load is at a voltage potential lower than that of a first terminal of a power source to the power converter, and a second terminal of the load is at a voltage potential higher than that of the second terminal of the power source, a second charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a second discharging phase, wherein in the first discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load such that a differential output is created, and wherein in the second discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load with a polarity that is reversed compared to the first discharging phase; and a second operational mode in which only one of the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load has a low resistance path to one of the first terminal of the power source and the second terminal of the power source; and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power converter to the load in accordance with the selected operational mode. a power converter comprising a power inductor and plurality of switches arranged to sequentially operate in a plurality of switch configurations; and a controller (22, 24) configured to: based on a controller input signal or an output voltage (V out) of the switching power stage, sequentially select a selected operational mode of the power converter from a plurality of operational modes, the plurality of operational modes comprising at least: a first operational mode that includes a first charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a first discharging phase in which a first terminal of the load is at a voltage potential lower than that of a first terminal of a power source to the power converter, and a second terminal of the load is at a voltage potential higher than that of the second terminal of the power source, a second charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a second discharging phase, wherein in the first discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load such that a differential output is created, and wherein in the second discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load with a polarity that is reversed compared to the first discharging phase; and a second operational mode in which only one of the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load has a low resistance path to one of the first terminal of the power source and the second terminal of the power source; and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power converter to the load in accordance with the selected operational mode. a first operational mode that includes a first charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a first discharging phase in which a first terminal of the load is at a voltage potential lower than that of a first terminal of a power source to the power converter, and a second terminal of the load is at a voltage potential higher than that of the second terminal of the power source, a second charging phase during which the power inductor is charged, and a second discharging phase, wherein in the first discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load such that a differential output is created, and wherein in the second discharging phase, the power inductor is coupled across the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load with a polarity that is reversed compared to the first discharging phase; and a second operational mode in which only one of the first terminal of the load and the second terminal of the load has a low resistance path to one of the first terminal of the power source and the second terminal of the power source; and sequentially apply switch configurations from the plurality of switch configurations to selectively activate or deactivate each of the plurality of switches in order to transfer electrical energy from an input source of the power converter to the load in accordance with the selected operational mode.