Tesla surprised many people in March 2023 when it announced switching to a 48-volt electrical architecture with the Cybertruck. Later, Tesla sent the 48-volt architecture white papers to several car company CEOs, hoping it would become the industry standard. The first to pick up the gauntlet is Hyundai, which notified suppliers to prepare for a switch to 48 volts in all future models.

 

As Tesla explained in 2023 when it detailed plans to adopt the 48-volt electrical architecture, the current 12-volt systems are reaching their physical limits. With more devices and computers onboard, the ever-increasing need for electrical power risks exhausting the capacity of 12-volt systems. As power increases, so does current, leading to cables and connections overheating. To mitigate this, carmakers use thicker copper cables, adding weight and complexity to cars.