NVIDIA's 800V HVDC Architecture to Begin Production in Q1 2027, Says DigiTimes

ME News reports that on July 24 (UTC+8), DigiTimes released a report stating that NVIDIA’s mass production progress for its 800V HVDC high-voltage direct current power architecture targeting next-generation AI data centers has not been altered. Previous market concerns that large-scale adoption might be delayed until after 2028 stemmed largely from a misinterpretation of the product validation process. SemiAnalysis previously noted that AI power supply chain growth could be impacted by a delay in the adoption of 800V HVDC; however, supply chain insiders indicate that the primary cause of the delay is the extended validation timeline for the first-generation product design, not a change in technical direction. Related power cabinets, battery backup units (BBUs), battery packs, and accompanying components have been resubmitted for validation, with testing progressing smoothly. Supply chain sources reveal that Taiwan-based power supply giant Delta Electronics is expected to begin small-scale production of 800V HVDC products by the end of the first quarter of 2027, gradually increasing shipment volumes throughout the second quarter in alignment with customer deployment schedules. This adjustment is primarily due to the identification of potential short-circuit risks during initial system validation, prompting U.S. customers to request additional testing, thereby extending the system design optimization and certification cycle—and consequently affecting delivery timelines for suppliers including Delta Electronics, Kestar, and Qunli Electric. Industry insiders emphasize that the issue is not an inability to manufacture the product, but rather the time still required to complete design modifications and customer certifications. In the long term, 800V HVDC remains a critical direction for high-power power architectures in AI data centers. Supply chain insiders also consider market perceptions that the necessity of 800V HVDC is declining to be a misunderstanding. NVIDIA’s Rubin platform employs a 50V power architecture primarily for internal cabinet power distribution, while 800V HVDC is used for high-voltage power delivery from the data center to the cabinet—these two systems are not mutually exclusive. As Rubin Ultra and subsequent AI platforms drive rack power consumption upward to 600kW–1MW, traditional AC and low-voltage architectures will face challenges including excessive current, increased transmission losses, and heightened thermal management demands. In the initial phase, ±400V HVDC and 800V HVDC are expected to coexist, with the former serving as a transitional solution and the latter gradually gaining market penetration as platforms evolve and validation is completed. The market generally views this adjustment as a shift in shipment timing rather than a decline in demand; ongoing cloud provider investments in AI infrastructure from 2027 onward are expected to propel power supply and related component manufacturers into a new growth cycle. (Source: BlockBeats)