Unseen Advantages of 48V

Again and again Heiner and I have been surprised and sometimes astonished when discovering the many surprising ways 48V changes things when it comes to mobile power.

Fuel Savings

In response to understandably sceptical questions suggesting that the massive charge rates would surely increase fuel consumption, we researched this in detail. The conclusion is that charging with 48V saves fuel.

In practical terms, this means 1.2 to 2.0 liters of fuel saved every time 10 kWh of energy is charged, which accumulates to substantial savings over the lifetime of a touring or commercial vehicle. On top of these findings the same efficiency increase is true for the loads that are running on 48 Volt. Which will reduce the amount of energy used when running appliances.

Linked below is the white paper presented by Heiner, researching this question. PDF DOWNLOAD HERE.

This subject in a recent video.

Fuel savings come as a result of higher efficiencies but as significantly, because of Egon's unique 48V architecture, even more is saved. Because the alternator first charges the house battery, which in turn charges the start battery, if there are solar panels connected, it is possible that once the batteries are fully charged, the solar supplies the vehicle's running needs instead of the engine. In such conditions, there is zero load on the alternator. Because of the almost endless variables, the amount of fuel saved is impossible to measure, but if the sun is shining, it's not insignificant.

Weight

LifePO4 batteries, whether 12 of 48V are a similar size and weight for the energy they can store. So no savings there. But because charge times are so much less, depending on the cyclic requirements of the user, smaller batteries can now do the job of larger ones. A weight, space and cost saving.

Inverting from 48V to 240V AC is easier than from 12V. This is why 48V inverters are about 20% lighter and less costly than 12V equivalents.

Cabling for a 48V system can be one quarter the thickness of that required with 12V. This saves weight and is also a significant cost saving with consumables in a build, especially when connecting inverters.

Cost of appliances

With 48V one can install far larger inverters, and this means additional savings. In practical terms, limited by losses and cable sizes, 12V is maxed out with a 3kW inverter. With 48V, 6kW is not only practical but easier to install, more compact and needs less cooling for the same power outputs. Which means that accessories such as toasters, sandwich makers, induction cookers, small ovens and even microwaves are now practical. Where there are 12V equivalents, they are typically 300% more costly. Again a cost saving. But not a space saving because one might be tempted to take too much stuff on a trip.

Efficiency

48V offers advantages on both the charge and load sides. The reduction of losses on the load side means less energy is required to do the same tasks. For example a 240AC water heater will heat up faster, 48V air conditioners are more efficient than 240V equivalents and are more compact too. Ovens heat faster and teenage girls who might want a blow-dryer won't be disappointed. 

Convenience

The Egon 48V system means that while stationary, all one needs to do it leave the key accessories switched on to be able to use the vehicle's systems without fear of draining the start battery. It will stay charged until the house battery is depleted. Just remember, when retiring for the night, pull out the keys.

Disadvantages of EGON 48V over 12V

Given that we've established that 48V is no more costly than 12V, this part is important. Its more complex than a traditional 12V system. That's only true when comparing it to a basic 12V set-up. With high-end systems, for example the Redarc Manager-100, Egon's 48V is no more complex to instal. It is true that there are more people familiar with Redarc products than Egon. But because Egon has far more redundancies built into its system, in reality, which one is more reliable? We think Egon is more reliable too. But then we are probably biased. 

48V generally

While we've presented our case that 48V has many advantages and few disadvantages over 12V, this past bit is also important. Egon's 48V is unlike anything on our little blue planet. It is safe to say, most 12V systems are created similar, but this is definitely not the case with 48V. We would never talk down competitive products, but simply suggest that you do your research by asking users about their experiences, then draw your conclusions from that.