As expertise advances, electrical vehicles are bettering their fast-charging occasions. Meaning much less time spent ready at a DC public charger if you’re out on the highway. Whereas Stage 3 chargers used to offer a most of 150 kilowatts of energy, 350-kW chargers are develop into extra widespread, making for super-fast charging … in case your automobile is able to benefiting from it. So how do automakers enhance the charging pace of their EV batteries? Some are turning to greater voltage, particularly 800V charging.
What is the distinction between 800-volt charging and 400-volt charging?
So how does 800V charging enhance upon the extra widespread 400V EVs? Put merely, the upper the voltage, the much less amperage (present) it requires to cost. In different phrases, with extra voltage, you get extra wattage (energy, aka cost charge) from the identical amperage (present).
800V structure can be extra environment friendly, with much less electrical resistance, so it will probably use thinner cables and smaller, lighter elements whereas needing much less cooling. The tradeoff is that it’s extra expensive, and guess who that value will get handed on to. Whereas automakers do not break down their pricing to point out how way more you are paying for that 800V system, you will simply have to guage any potential purchases as an entire, and make your resolution primarily based on total pricing of the car. Fortunately, the 800V EVs on sale now are usually ones we like.
Now, 800V charging functionality would not essentially imply an EV has 800V car structure. As an illustration, the GMC Hummer EV and Chevy Silverado EV function at 400V, however with their twin battery packs, can change to 800V when charging by briefly connecting these packs in sequence.
Presently, there are solely a handful of EVs accessible with 800V charging. But when you will end up taking longer journeys in your EV and utilizing DC quick chargers extra usually, you would possibly need to contemplate selecting one with this quicker charging functionality. With that in thoughts, these are the EVs accessible with 800V charging, both on sale now or coming in 2024.
800-volt EVs accessible in 2024
*Coming later in 2024