Re:The EV Transition Is Harder Than Anyone Thinks
by Corrado on Wednesday March 29, 2023 @04:18AM
(#35354138)
Actually, Tesla is moving to 48v on their new(er) systems. This is a good thing and I can't wait for the rest of the industry to follow them. 48v has been needed for years and I'm glad someone took the first shot at it.
[0] https://insideevs.com/news/656775/tesla-switch-48v-voltage-s...
But everything else, the instruments, the infotainment and telematics, the ADAS, the windows and wipers and headlights, seats and airbags and lock solenoids, the list goes on... That represents a lot of complexity and cost, a lot of moving parts, and it's all still 12-volt. Partly for legacy reasons, partly for safety. (There was a push 20 years ago to go 42 or 48 volts to make the wire thinner while still being LV/SELV safety, but legacy held it back.)
Plus all the undercar stuff, wheels and bearings and control arms and bushings, half-shafts and CV joints and boots and swaybars, wheels and tires and stuff, that just never changes, and since EVs tend to be heavier, they tend to be harder on all that stuff than their ICE counterparts.
So there's plenty of stuff you can service with good old mechanic skills and tools, and plenty of it needs servicing.