Vitesco Technologies, the powertrain spinoff from Continental, has won a contract to provide 800-volt inverters for Hyundai’s new E-GMP modular electric platform.
Vitesco said in a statement Wednesday that the contract was in the “triple-digit million euro amount.” Hyundai says the E-GMP platform will eventually underpin 23 models by 2025, including 11 battery-electric vehicles with the 800-volt technology. The first model on the platform will be the Ioniq 5 electric crossover, with an 800-volt system.
Most EVs are based around an industry-standard 400-volt system, with 800-volt systems seen mostly on high-end models such as the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT.
GM and electric truck startup Rivian say they will be able to upgrade their EV systems to the higher voltage. Maserati said last year that future full-electric vehicles would use 800-volt architectures.
Other suppliers backing 800-volt technology are Hitachi and BorgWarner.
Proponents of the higher voltage say it allows for faster charging and longer range, and also smaller, lighter and more efficient electric motors. A recent EU study said that 800-volt systems allow a lower current to be used when charging the battery, reducing overheating and retaining more power — which can be used for a longer driving range.
Vitesco says a battery in an 800-volt system can be charged to 80 percent capacity in fewer than 20 minutes; Hyundai and Porsche cite similar figures.
