Power Up with 800-V Systems: The benefits of upgrading voltage power for battery-electric passenger vehicles

In a battery-electric vehicle, the powertrain and different auxiliary components are powered by a high-voltage (HV) battery. Most of today's battery-electric vehicles use battery configurations, resulting in the 150-450-Vdc link voltage range, and this highvoltage configuration is often called the 400-V system. In contrast, in electrified truck and construction vehicles, the maximum dc link voltage can reach 870 V, and this configuration is often called the 800-V system. Currently, there are several high-end electric passenger vehicles under development utilizing the 800-V system. This article discusses the benefits and challenges of using the 800-V system in passenger vehicles. For example, the availability of the automotive qualified components for the 800-V system is limited. Therefore, automotive original-equipment manufacturers must assume additional development effort, time, and cost impact when applying the 800-V system to passenger vehicles.