EV and battery thread, page-1809

I am not planning to buy a new car today or tomorrow. But I would buy an EV as my next car. For me it would be important to get something with at least 800 volt architecture, with a good charging curve, good energy efficiency (in relation to its weight, size and power output) and good range. There are 800 V cars with a not that good charging curve that falls off too much and there are 400 V cars with a decent charging curve and good energy consumption, but on average 800 V is the way to go and it will become the standard for most EVs in the West in maybe the next 4 years.

I don't expect car makers to offer level 4 or 5 autonomous driving to buyers of new cars in the next few years, so that is not an immediate concern, maybe I would look at the sensors and software included in the car and any believable statements on possible upgrades of assisted driving functions in the future for the specific models that I would consider.

Apart from the characteristics of the electric drivetrain I would focus on traditional values like quality of the suspension, handling, build quality, design, materials used, ergonomics, practicality etc. I wouldn't obsess over having the fastest navigation speed compared to everyone else or software features that I would use once and then never again.

So taking all these things into account I would in any case wait to see what the PPE models from Audi and Porsche bring next year. I also like what Hyundai, Kia and Genesis are doing with their 800 V offerings. For example I like the Ioniq 5 design and when it came out it was the cheapest model to offer 800 V.


Audi RS or S 6 e-tron prototype on PPE platform
All-electric Audi RS6 e-Tron in the works | CAR Magazine

If hypothetically I lived in Australia and would consider a Chinese EV, because of the price I would be vary about their charging speed e.g. peak charging speed and the charging curve. BYD Atto 3 for example might have a compelling price, but the charging speed is underwhelming. From the different reviews I have seen about the first Chinese EVs offered in Europe including Nio models, one of the main criticisms has always been that the charging experience is not acceptable for the price point. That might change in the future, because for example BYD Seal is on an 800 V platform, but as I wrote above, 800 V doesn't equal 800 V in terms of charging curve, there are significant differences. And I would look at different sources that have tested the charging curve and real world range as well, there are numerous parameters to consider for both of these tests.