Development line: from meeting basic needs to pursuing extreme efficiency, application field from fixed facilities to mobile platform.
Early standards (early 20th century): 48V DC became the standard voltage for fixed telephone central offices, laying the foundation for modern telecommunication networks.
The evolution of the automotive industry:
6V era: Three 2V lead-acid batteries connected in series, which was the early standard.
12V Era: With the proliferation of in-vehicle electrical systems and rising power demands, the configuration evolved to six batteries connected in series (6V×2).
24V Era: Commercial vehicles, due to their high power demands, adopt a 12-cell series battery configuration (12V×2) to reduce current and improve efficiency.
Data Center Revolution (circa 2016): Spearheaded by Google and the Open Compute Project (OCP), this initiative addressed the massive power consumption of servers by implementing 48V power distribution, which significantly reduced energy waste and operational costs.
Automotive Breakthrough (2023-2024): Tesla’s Cybertruck became the first production vehicle to fully adopt a 48V powertrain, replacing the decades-long 12V system and demonstrating its immense potential in mobile platforms.
Robotics adoption (since 2020): Industrial, logistics, and service robots have adopted the 48V architecture to achieve higher efficiency, lighter weight, and more compact designs.
The inaugural year of humanoid robotics (2024): Leading manufacturers including Tesla’s Optimus and XPeng’s IRON have all adopted the 48V battery architecture, establishing it as the new benchmark for advanced mobile robotics platforms.
The 48V architecture serves as the foundational cornerstone for robots to achieve “compact size, extended battery life, and intelligent interaction”.
