Supplier Delphi Technologies announced last week that it will supply 800-volt inverters for an unnamed automaker’s future luxury electric cars.
Delphi now claims that it will be supplying inverters for three out of the top four global premium automakers in the world, indicating a broad shift toward 800Vsystems for high-end EVs.
The latest supply deal is expected to launch in 2024 across the customer automaker’s EV range, a Delphi press release said. It will also mark the introduction of the sixth generation of Delphi’s Viper inverter—a component Delphi said enables 800V charging and can greatly reduce charge times compared to today’s 400V systems.
Delphi previously teased a $2.7 billion deal for a volume-production “high-performance vehicle” from “a premier global OEM” in 2022.
It isn’t the only supplier betting on a switch to 800-volt electrical systems. Hitachi announced a “high output” 800V inverter in 2019.
Cadillac Lyriq concept
Lucid Motors has developed its own inverter and is instead planning on a system voltage of about 920 volts, and what CEO Peter Rawlinson described to Green Car Reports as a “symbiotic relationship between motor, inverter, software, transmission, and battery pack”
So far, Porsche has led the way with 800-volt systems with its Taycan sedan, and the Taycan has arguably helped push the shared Combined Charging Standard (CCS) forward.
Some EV makers, like Rivian and General Motors, have planned for a change to 800-volt along the way. Rivian’s R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV could get an upgrade after the start of production, while GM’s Ultium modular battery system includes an option for an 800V charging with a double-stack battery pack.
The next generation premium EV platform from Hyundai and Kia is likely to offer 800V versions as well. A Kia model based on that platform is expected to arrive by late 2021.