Higher battery voltage means more energy and higher charging power, plus increased efficiency, better performance and weight savings for EV components such as motors and inverters. But high voltages come with new challenges as well. Here’s a look at why the EV industry is so keen to move to higher voltages—and how engineers are making it happen.
Voltage: Voltage is the measure of electrical force. High-voltage batteries have higher voltage than standard batteries, which means they can provide more power to devices. The voltage is determined by the battery’s type and number of cells. Battery Cells: A high-voltage battery consists of multiple cells connected in series.
There are numerous research projects focused on solving these challenges, but the most promising one is increasing the battery voltage. Today’s EV batteries are commonly 400-volt systems, but EV manufacturers have already begun redesigning their vehicles to shift to 800-volt architectures.
Higher battery voltages mean increased EV efficiency, improved performance and better charging. For drivers, that means faster charging and less energy consumption. The main parameter for charging speed is charger output power, which depends on voltage and current.
Battery Cells: A high-voltage battery consists of multiple cells connected in series. Each cell generates a small amount of voltage, and the total voltage increases by linking them. For example, three 3.7V cells in a series create an 11.1V battery. Power Delivery: The stored energy flows through the device’s circuit when the battery is used.
It might not seem that increasing the pack voltage would have much effect on the pack itself, but there are a few issues that need to be considered, the most obvious being that a higher voltage is more likely to cause electrocution should one find oneself inadvertently part of the battery circuit.