Development of 800V EV & charging

Relationship between EV & Charging

The charging industry and the electric vehicle industry complement each other and support one another. The electric vehicle industry has given rise to the charging industry, which in turn provides practical possibilities for realizing higher power high-voltage platform concepts for electric vehicles.

After more than a decade of development, there is still enormous potential for innovation in key areas such as electric vehicle batteries, components, and charging. In the future, technologies that drive profound transformations will continue to emerge.

In the past, the charging industry and the electric vehicle industry seemed to operate on separate tracks, with limited synergy between automotive component technology and charging technology. The emergence of high-power, high-voltage fast charging is actually a significant manifestation of collaborative innovation between the automotive and power industries.

The collaborative technological innovation is required for high-power, high-voltage fast charging. On the automotive side, components need to be high-voltage to ensure safety and supply chain stability. On the charging side, it involves the large-scale popularization of high-power charging, voltage optimization of charging equipment, and cost control.

Layout of EV & Charging

The mass production of 800V vehicle models on a global scale is expected to occur between 2023 and 2025. Initially, these models will be prioritized for use in mid-to-high-end vehicles, with gradual expansion into other segments. The increase in system voltage and the application of silicon carbide devices not only shorten charging time but also significantly improve overall vehicle performance and efficiency.

A certain B-class four-wheel drive car, equipped with Huawei’s high-voltage power system and released in 2021, effortlessly achieves a 0-100 km/h acceleration in 3.5 seconds. The NEDC efficiency has improved by 3.5%, and the overall vehicle range has increased by 5%.

The development of the 800V platform for terminals requires the selection and matching of high-voltage components, including batteries, electric drive systems, charging systems, power devices, etc. BYD, Huawei, Farasis, Infineon and other enterprises are actively laying out in the motor electronic control industry chain as well as the battery, air conditioning compressor and silicon carbide industries for high-voltage parts. FAW, GAC and Great Wall Motors are also developing 800V models and high-power charging stations above 480kW.

On the other hand, for a considerable period of time in the future, IGBT and silicon carbide devices will coexist dynamically in different application scenarios with varying rated power and switching frequencies. In terms of cost-effectiveness, front-wheel configurations currently utilize IGBT modules as the mainstream option while rear-wheel configurations may consider incorporating silicon carbide modules.

Due to the limited number of vehicles with 800V models, standalone high-power charging stations would have a low utilization rate. Therefore, it is common practice in the industry to combine high-power charging with regular fast charging in order to meet the needs of all vehicle models.

Three Major Consensuses

The maturity of the newly added high-voltage component supply chain is the most crucial issue for the advancement of new energy vehicles towards 800V, followed by inadequate charging infrastructure and increased costs associated with high-voltage components.

At the current stage, we are developing an 800V system. Regarding the additional cost of high-voltage components in vehicles, a significant majority of industry professionals believe that the increase will range between 5% and 15%. The battery system has the highest rate of increase, followed by the charging system and electric drive system.

Currently, there are three major consensuses regarding the development trends of 800V vehicle models and high-power charging networks:

1. High-power charging stations will primarily be deployed on highways or in extra-large cities.
2. Mid-to-high-end vehicle models will have priority in adopting the 800V technology.
3. The construction of high-power charging stations will require the integration of energy storage systems.