Switching Cars From 12 To 48 Volts

Switching Cars From 12 To 48 Volts FARM HOME Cars In the 1950’s carmakers needed more power to start newer high-compression engines so they increased voltage of their electrical systems from 6 to 12 volts Now – with the increased demand for electrical power on new cars which might have as many as 150 electric motors – voltage is going up again to 48 volts The first production car to use 48 volts is an Audi sports-utility vehicle that is not a hybrid but employs an electriclly-driven 48-volt turbine to force extra air into the engine when a burst of power is needed It provides a faster response than a conventional engine-powered turbocharger The car also has 48-volt active suspension with electric motors that control how the vehicle handles on curves and rough ground An experimental Ford Focus built in Britain uses 48 volts to power components ranging from the water pump to an electric turbine One of the test vehicle’s most important features is its water-cooled starter which is needed to power the stop-start technology that saves fuel by switching the engine off whenever the vehicle is stationary A faster-acting more powerful starter is needed especially when paired with a heavier diesel engine The improved starter is also used as a generator capturing kinetic energy when the vehicle brakes In addition the experimental Focus draws on some of the 48-volt battery’s power for “torque-assist” using the starter to act as a supplimentary motor to help the car accelerate Excerpted from The Economist

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