I was researching EVs all day yesterday and realized that all the models I’ve looked at are using a 400 V architecture, so their charging speeds are on the low end. I *think* that might be a deal breaker for me. It feels like buying a subpar product. - ThreadSky

simonbs.dev • 56 days ago

I was researching EVs all day yesterday and realized that all the models I’ve looked at are using a 400 V architecture, so their charging speeds are on the low end. I *think* that might be a deal breaker for me. It feels like buying a subpar product.

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russtadon.bsky.social•55 days ago

Nice to have the quick charge as an option, but slower charging is better for the battery longterm.

marcpalmer.net•56 days ago

We have two renault zoe. The cap out at 50kW on paper but like most that peak is only when battery is close to empty, realistically it ends ip in the mid-20s.

It’s not a big deal even in the UK where charging infra is still pretty bad. 500mi journeys with 2 or 3 full charges aren’t viable but 🤷‍♂️

hulet.tech•56 days ago

If you wanna road trip frequently, then you might wanna get a car that charges faster/holds more electricity. If you’re just concerned about daily use like most people, part of the benefit of an EV is that you literally never think about it at all. Just plug it in at night, it’s ready in the morning

hulet.tech•56 days ago

I had a 2021 Model 3 Standard Range Plus in the US. When I had a charger in my garage, I never once thought about fuel. Just plug it in when I get out of the car. On road trips, I’d have to stop for about 45 minutes every 2 hours, but I’d often stay for longer because I was exploring/resting

hulet.tech•56 days ago

Tbh before I bought it, I used to obsess over technical details like this to make sure I was getting the best bang for my buck, but I never thought about any of it again as soon as I started driving it. For me, it Just Worked™

nicolasfurno.fr•56 days ago

Yes, but you can still have great charging speeds today using a 400V architecture. Don’t stop at top speeds, look for charging curves.

One more thing to consider : some chargers (mainly Tesla’s) are 400 V only and can offer much worse speeds for 800 V véhicules.

simonbs.dev•56 days ago

Do you have any advice on what factors to consider when determining if a 400 V architecture offers good charging speeds?

nicolasfurno.fr•56 days ago

It’s not easy, I would look for good journalists/youtubers that really do the tests and can show charging speeds. Even better but harder, I would read/see real users feedbacks on YT or forums.

A good English source is https://youtube.com/@bjornnyland?feature=shared but the info is not easy to find in video form.

simonbs.dev•56 days ago

Thanks! I’ve seen quite a few videos from Bjørn Nyland. Love his videos!

nicolasfurno.fr•56 days ago

It’s in French, but a good example of a well done test. It’s for a 800V car which is really fast (but not cheap). You can find more « supertest » as they call them, even if they have not tested that many cars yet. And I guess there are English equivalents.

https://www.automobile-propre.com/articles/supertest-audi-q6-e-tron-quattro-les-temps-de-recharge-et-de-voyage-de-notre-essai/

nicolasfurno.fr•56 days ago

A little too long for my taste, but he has a great knowledge of EV for sure.

It’s a shame we have so few real data around charging. There are even 800V cars that are relatively slow to charge, for example the Lucid Air. Only real tests show this, but it should be easier to know.

petertenboer.bsky.social•56 days ago

Look at the spreadsheets from Björn. https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/mobile/folders/1HOwktdiZmm40atGPwymzrxErMi1ZrKPP

chrisgv.bsky.social•56 days ago

Both of our EVs have 800v, so I’ve only witnessed the difference when compared to other cars on 350 kWh chargers in the US. When you precondition the battery, the charging difference is real in terms of time to get to 80%. It all depends on how much public v. home charging you’ll do.

chrisgv.bsky.social•56 days ago

And it all depends on your weather and such. In theory, I own one of the least efficient 800v EVS, yet my winter range is better than our IONIQ 5 AWD at the same SoC, which means we have to stop and charge more often on road trips in winter. The 800v system makes a big difference in that case

tijs.org•56 days ago

We are at a turning point of sorts right now. But… 800v architecture is very much a premium feature atm with not a huge added benefit in daily use. 5 years or so it will be more common. I don’t know your use case but there’s so many good EVs available right now this feels like a pretty minor quibble

simonbs.dev•56 days ago

I do quite a few long journeys where I think faster charging speeds might matter. I’m eying the Ioniq 5 and EV6 that offer 800 V. I’m still early in the research phase, though, so I’m not dead set on 800 V yet 😄

0xff.nu•56 days ago

I’ve heard (perhaps just rumors) that the current charging tech (across the board) negatively impacts battery health when charging at those voltages. If you’re planning on long trips with minimal wait time in between charging, I guess 800v would make sense.

tijs.org•56 days ago

You get 8 or even 10 years warranty on the battery with a lot of brands so if that’s true the impact is likely very small. Mostly each new year they are finding that battery lifetime is better than expected the year before.

tijs.org•56 days ago

Well both those cars are absolutely excellent tech wise but also in other regards like price/value so if you already like those go for it.

tijs.org•56 days ago

Or maybe in more practical terms; extra money spent on 800v does not have good return on investment right now

czechboy0.dev•56 days ago

I have a 2023 Model Y made in Berlin and charging speed is not a thing I ever think about. Goes up to 250kW, more than enough. And on long trips, I like to stop every 2 hrs for a 15min break anyway, and chargers are everywhere nowadays.

The everyday practicality is what I love about it and all EVs.

simonbs.dev•56 days ago

The Model Y is using 800 V, isn't it?

czechboy0.dev•56 days ago

Not as far as I know. I think only Cybertruck is 800V from Tesla's production lineup.

duncsand.bsky.social•56 days ago

800v is still a niche product that’s only on a small number of premium cars. But there are many things that affect charge speed - SoC, temperature, the charger you’re connected to. And some 400v cars charge at not far off 800v speeds.

duncsand.bsky.social•56 days ago

Real world experience - in my 400v car I typically charge for about 30mins when stopping on a motorway. My car has a max charge speed of ~130kw, but I rarely see that. Ignore all manufacturer stats and instead look at https://ev-database.org - they have a number of “real world” numbers that are more useful.

duncsand.bsky.social•56 days ago

Also, it depends a bit on your scenario, but for me charge speed is a minor thing as I mostly charge at home, where I’m limited to 7kw anyway. Bottom line, the charger you’re connected to is likely to affect charge speed more than you car’s internal architecture.

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