Why Do Electric Cars Still Use 12-Volt Batteries?

Year by year, lithium-ion battery technology improves, and EV range and performance leap forward. We’re now seeing electric pickups trucks with what would’ve been supercar acceleration not too long ago, a sedan with 520 miles of range, and Hyundais and Kias that use 800-volt charging. And yet, most of the electric cars and PHEVs on the road right now, whatever their range or 0-to-60-mph time, depend on a relic to get moving: a 12-volt battery, usually of the lead-acid variety.

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