Electric Vehicle Architecture
Traction battery, inverter, motor and the orange-cable boundary.
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Safety notice
- High-voltage systems can exceed 400 V DC and are lethal. Never work on them without specific training, authorisation, insulated tools, approved PPE and the manufacturer procedure.
- Capacitors in the inverter can remain charged after isolation — always observe the manufacturer waiting time.
What you will learn
- Describe the main components of an electric powertrain
- Explain why high voltage is a different kind of hazard
- Recognise the correct isolation procedure at a high level
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An electric vehicle replaces the engine, fuel system and much of the drivetrain with a high-voltage traction battery, an inverter that converts DC to three-phase AC, and one or more electric motors. A DC/DC converter supplies the 12 V network, and an on-board charger converts AC grid power to DC for the battery.
Diagnosis on the 12 V side is familiar. Inside the high-voltage boundary everything changes: the energy is enormous, the circuits are isolated from chassis, and the procedures are strictly manufacturer-defined.
This lesson is theoretical awareness only. Do not attempt high-voltage work without formal qualification and the manufacturer service information.
Key points
- Know where the HV boundary is before you lift the bonnet.
- Isolation is a documented procedure, not a guess.
- 12 V faults are common on EVs too — start there when it is safe.
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Key points
- HV DC behaves very differently from 12 V
- The service disconnect isolates the traction battery
- Only qualified people work inside the HV boundary
All values shown are training examples. Real thresholds depend on the manufacturer, engine, temperature and system — always confirm with the vehicle service documentation.
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