Why Tesla's 48V Electrical Architecture Is a Bigger Deal Than You Think | Taha Abbasi

When Tesla introduced 48-volt electrical architecture in the Cybertruck, most people focused on the stainless steel body and angular design. Taha Abbasi, as an engineer who understands the significance of foundational technical changes, argues that the 48V architecture is actually the most important innovation Tesla has shipped in years.

The 12V Legacy Problem

Nearly every vehicle on the road today — ICE and EV alike — uses a 12-volt electrical system for its auxiliary components: lights, windows, seats, infotainment, and control modules. This standard dates back to the 1950s and was designed for an era when cars had a fraction of the electrical demands they face today.

Modern vehicles, packed with heated seats, advanced driver assistance systems, multiple displays, and dozens of electric motors for various adjustments, routinely push 12V systems to their limits. The result is thick, heavy wiring harnesses, voltage drops across long cable runs, and reliability issues from connectors stressed by high currents.

Why 48V Changes Everything

Moving to 48 volts allows the same power delivery at one-quarter the current. Lower current means thinner, lighter wiring; smaller, lighter connectors; and reduced resistive losses throughout the vehicle. Taha Abbasi estimates that the Cybertruck’s wiring harness weighs significantly less than it would with a 12V architecture — and in an EV, every pound of weight saved translates directly to range.

But weight is just the beginning. The 48V system enables new capabilities that are impractical at 12V: higher-power interior components, more responsive electric actuators, and simplified vehicle electronics. The Cybertruck’s steer-by-wire system, for example, would be much more challenging to implement reliably on a 12V bus.

Industry Adoption

Tesla is not the first to use 48V — mild hybrid systems in European luxury cars have used 48V for years. But Tesla is the first to implement 48V as the primary vehicle electrical architecture rather than a supplementary system. This is a fundamental architectural choice that other automakers will likely follow.

Taha Abbasi predicts that within five years, most new EVs will adopt 48V architecture. The engineering benefits are too significant to ignore, and as Tesla has demonstrated the feasibility, the risk of pioneering this approach is eliminated for followers.

Implications for Accessories and Aftermarket

The shift to 48V has created a temporary challenge for aftermarket accessory makers. Existing 12V accessories — lights, winches, air compressors, refrigerators — are not directly compatible. However, the aftermarket is adapting quickly, with Cybertruck-specific 48V accessories now available from multiple manufacturers.

The long-term benefit for the aftermarket is significant: 48V accessories can be more powerful, more efficient, and more compact than their 12V equivalents. A 48V winch, for example, can deliver the same pulling force with a significantly smaller motor and thinner cable.

The Engineering Legacy

Taha Abbasi sees Tesla’s 48V architecture as analogous to Tesla’s early decision to use a skateboard battery platform: a foundational engineering choice that enables decades of product development. Just as the skateboard platform enabled Model S through Cybertruck, the 48V architecture will underpin Tesla’s vehicle designs for years to come — including the Cybercab robotaxi and future vehicle platforms not yet announced.

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About the Author: Taha Abbasi is a technology executive, CTO, and applied frontier tech builder. Read more on Grokpedia | YouTube: The Brown Cowboy | tahaabbasi.com