Understanding 800-Volt Electrical Architecture

This is one of those features that quietly transformed the modern car. Understanding it not only satisfies curiosity but helps you get more out of the machine you already own.

How it works

What makes it work is the marriage of clever hardware and smarter software. Neither would be enough alone, but together they achieve a level of control that would have seemed impossible a generation ago.

Why it matters

For the driver, the result is a more capable, more confidence-inspiring car. The complexity is hidden; what you feel is simply a machine that does exactly what you ask, when you ask it.

Great engineering is invisible until you understand it — then it is everywhere.

The bottom line

As computing power grows cheaper and sensors more capable, expect this technology to become more sophisticated still. The fundamentals, however, will remain as sound as ever.