Cascaded multilevel inverter(CMI) topology is prevalent in many applications. However, the CMI requires many switches and isolated dc sources, which is the main drawback of this type of inverter. As a result, the volume, cost and complexity of the CMI topology are increased and the efficiency is deteriorated. This paper thus proposes a switched-capacitor-based multilevel inverter topology with half-bridge cells and only one dc source. Compared to the conventional CMI, the proposed inverter uses almost half the number of switches, while maintaining a boosting capability. Additionally, the main drawback of switched-capacitor multilevel inverters is the capacitor inrush current. This problem is also averted in the proposed topology by using a charging inductor or quasi-resonant capacitor charging with a front-end boost converter. Simulation results and lab-scale experimental verifications are provided to validate the feasibility and viability of the proposed inverter topology.