High Voltage Safety

The HV battery pack powers the high voltage electrical system with DC electricity. Positive and negative orange colored high voltage power cables are routed from the battery pack, under the vehicle floor pan, to the inverter/converter. The inverter/converter contains a circuit that boosts the HV battery voltage from 201.6 to 650 Volts DC. The inverter/converter creates 3-phase AC to power the motor. Power cables are routed from the inverter/converter to each high voltage motor (electric motor, electric generator, and A/C compressor). The following systems are intended to help keep occupants in the vehicle and emergency responders safe from high voltage electricity:


High Voltage Safety System

A high voltage fuse (1) provides short circuit protection in the HV battery pack.

Positive and negative high voltage power cables (2) connected to the HV battery pack are controlled by 12 Volt normally open relays (3). When the vehicle is shut off, the relays stop electrical flow from leaving the HV battery pack.






Both positive and negative power cables (2) are insulated from the metal body. High voltage electricity flows through these cables and not through the metal vehicle body. The metal vehicle body is safe to touch because it is insulated from the high voltage component.


A ground fault monitor (4) continuously monitors for high voltage leakage to the metal chassis while the vehicle is running. If a malfunction is detected, the hybrid vehicle computer (4) will illuminate the master warning light in the instrument cluster and indicate �Check Hybrid System� on the multi-information display.