Why can’t a battery-based car just use a step down to 12 volts instead of a separate 12 volt car battery?
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Aside from the obvious size and weight a system like that would incur, there are also safety concerns. Most, if not all, EV’s actually “turn off” their batteries when the car is off. EVERYTHING except the motors are powered by the 12V battery (for backward compatibility and safety reasons. You wouldn’t want an 800V turn signal bulb or airbag.) I believe Technology Connections showcased this in one of his many EV videos (the one about at-home AC chargers, I think) but an electric car battery has engagable contactors. Basically, these metal things that allow electricity to travel to and from the battery, and can be disconnected, killing the big battery. A car such as the Chevrolet Bolt EV has two contactors and three modes.
Both contactors are closed and connected: The car can be driven.
One contactor is closed and connected, the other is not: The car is off and cannot be driven, but it is able to be charged.
Both contactors are open and disconnected: The battery cannot be charged and the car cannot be driven. No electricity can enter or leave the battery.
It is this third position where a dedicated 12V battery is necessary. Anytime you turn the car off and don’t plug it in, this mode is engaged. The big battery cannot power it’s own contactors if it’s disconnected from everything. As a result, that job belongs to the 12V battery. And if you’re gonna have to have a 12V battery to turn on the big battery, you might as well just use it for everything else to and save some weight, space, and money.
Also, disconnecting the big battery is done for safety. Having high voltage pumping through a car while it’s sitting idle is a major safety risk. I’m not saying 12V is perfectly safe and you should go lick a car battery, but having 12V sitting idle is MUCH better than having 400-900V just sitting there.
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