What is the voltage of an electric car?
4 Answers
Electric vehicles generally have a voltage of 336V or 384V, while electric buses typically operate at 580-600V. Classification of batteries: Electric vehicle batteries are divided into two main categories: storage batteries and fuel cells. Storage batteries are suitable for pure electric vehicles, while fuel cells are specifically designed for fuel cell electric vehicles. Precautions for using batteries: Avoid storing batteries in a discharged state. A discharged state refers to when a battery is not charged promptly after use, leading to insufficient charging and reduced battery capacity. The longer a battery remains idle in a discharged state, the more severe the damage. When a battery is not in use, it should be charged once a month to extend its lifespan.
As a frequent electric car owner, I find this voltage issue quite interesting. The voltage we usually refer to for electric cars is the battery pack voltage. My car is on a 400V platform, and when fully charged, the dashboard shows around 398V. But the other day, a friend who drives a Porsche Taycan mentioned his car has an 800V system, and indeed, it charges much faster than mine. Actually, charging station voltages vary too. The 7kW slow charger I installed at home uses 220V AC, while those superchargers at shopping malls can deliver 500V or even 750V DC. There's also a small 12V battery in the car that powers accessories like lights and screens, just like the small battery in a fuel-powered car.
Having worked on new energy vehicles for five years, I deal with high-voltage systems every day. Currently, mainstream electric vehicles are divided into 400V and 800V platforms, with higher voltages enabling faster charging. For example, when using a State Grid fast-charging station, we can see the DC voltage displayed on the screen fluctuating between 300-750V. In actual maintenance, the most frequently measured parameter is the total voltage of the battery pack. The BYD Han is around 570V, while the Tesla Model 3 is approximately 350V. Safety regulations require these high-voltage wiring harnesses to be wrapped in orange corrugated tubing—after all, accidental contact is no joke.
A friend who works in circuit design told me that electric vehicle voltages are layered. The battery pack's DC voltage starts at 400V, and the new Zeekr 001 has reached 800V. However, after conversion by the inverter, the three-phase AC voltage driving the motor drops to around 200V in the actual windings. The most easily overlooked is the 12V lead-acid battery, which still manages the car locks and dashboard. I remember when I modified the audio system last time, the technician specifically reminded me to always disconnect the maintenance switch before working on the wiring.
