800V electric vehicles sometimes charge slower than 400V

In the quest to charge cars faster and faster, several manufacturers are evaluating 800V battery systems. Cars with such a system use a higher voltage than the usual 400V for electric cars. As a result, they can charge faster, or at least achieve higher peak charge rates without requiring higher amperage and without having to thicken or weigh cables.

The Maserati GranTurismo Folgore, Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT can charge up to 270kW, while Tesla’s 400V architecture supports no more than 250kW. Tesla’s figure is already relatively high for a 400V battery system; Mercedes’ EQS, for example, does not go beyond 200kW and Volkswagen’s ID Buzz can be loaded with up to 170kW.