Hybrid and electric cars still represent only a small part of the global market, but car manufacturers and suppliers are already preparing for the next generation of components, with solid-state batteries, axial flow motors, and now, 800-volt electric systems that promise to reduce charging time by half, reduce the size and cost of the battery and increase transmission efficiency.
By the end of this decade, hybrid battery replacement suppliers estimate that 800-volt architectures will become a dominant technology, especially as there will be more and more dedicated full-electric platforms that emerge already (e.g., Volkswagen group’s EPP and Hyundai’s E-GMP).
But why is an 800-volt system more efficient than the existing 400-volt systems?
Experts agree that the advantages are numerous, but the general idea is that they can provide the same amount of power at a lower current. You can get twice as much energy as a previous vehicle by doubling the voltage and having the same current.
The main benefit is a charging time that is about 50% faster, while keeping the same battery size. As a result, batteries – the most expensive components of an electric car – can be reduced in size and weight, and their efficiency is expected to improve even more over the coming years.