Current Ways debuts 33kW bidirectional charger

Current Ways has added a 33-kilowatt bidirectional onboard charger to its standard automotive lineup, according to the company’s product catalog and third-party component listings. The unit, identified as the CWOBA3333Q, is configured for three-phase input and a 550-850 volt DC output range, placing it in the company’s higher-voltage charger family. (everythingpe.com) Current Ways’ automotive page lists the model alongside lower-power bidirectional chargers under its CWUBIC platform, and everythingPE shows the product as a 33-kilowatt onboard charger from the company. (currentways.com) The product surfaces as Current Ways pushes a broader commercialization effort around CWUBIC, its bidirectional onboard charging architecture. (currentways.com) A California Energy Commission-backed project page says the Santee, California, company is building out a low-rate initial production pilot line for CWUBIC and was in active discussions with Monarch Tractor and Volvo to commercialize the platform by 2026. That project update said progress through 2024 included design changes, prototype control boards and manufacturing work. ### What exactly did Current Ways put on the market? (currentways.com) The CWOBA3333Q is listed by Current Ways as a standard onboard charger rated at 33 kilowatts, with 480-volt three-phase AC input and 550-850 volt DC output. The model appears on the company’s automotive product page beside 11-kilowatt and 22-kilowatt three-phase bidirectional chargers in the same voltage band. everythingPE identifies the same part number as an onboard charger with 400-volt AC input, 550-850 volt DC output and 33 kilowatts of output power. A broader Current Ways profile on that site lists a “33 kW Bidirectional Isolated Converter” among the company’s latest products in June 2025 and a “Three-Phase Bi-Directional On-Board Charger” in May 2025, indicating the model family was already appearing in distributor-style databases before this week’s discussion around it. (energizeinnovation.fund) ### Why does the 33-kilowatt rating stand out? The 33-kilowatt figure is the top end of the standard onboard charger range shown on Current Ways’ automotive page, which runs from 7.7 kilowatts in single-phase versions to 33 kilowatts in three-phase versions. (currentways.com) The same page shows that the CWOBA3333Q sits in the 550-850 volt branch of the lineup, a range used for higher-voltage battery systems. The California Energy Commission project page says existing onboard charging technologies are often limited to about 11.2 kilowatts, and described demand for faster, bidirectional charging as one of the reasons for supporting CWUBIC production work. That statement comes from the project description, not an independent market survey, but it shows how Current Ways and its public-sector backer are framing the product’s target use case. (everythingpe.com) ### Is this a charger for a garage wall, or something built into a vehicle? Current Ways describes the CWOBA3333Q as an onboard charger, which in EV industry usage means the power-conversion hardware integrated into the vehicle rather than a standalone wallbox. (currentways.com) Semiconductor suppliers including Infineon and Rohm describe onboard chargers as vehicle-mounted systems that convert AC grid power to DC for the battery, with bidirectional versions also enabling power export. Current Ways’ own description of CWUBIC says the platform is intended to support vehicle-to-load, vehicle-to-building and vehicle-to-grid functions. The company says its common hardware design can also be adapted into combinations that include DC/DC converters and auxiliary inverters. (energizeinnovation.fund) ### Where does silicon carbide fit into this product? everythingPE’s listing for another 33-kilowatt Current Ways model, the CWOBA2523Q, says that charger is based on silicon carbide technology for bidirectional charging. Current Ways’ automotive page does not spell out semiconductor content for each listed model in the text captured by search, but the company markets CWUBIC as a high-power-density platform for automotive power electronics. (currentways.com) Wolfspeed, in a technical article on bidirectional onboard chargers, says silicon carbide devices are used in higher-power onboard charger designs because they can support efficiency and power-density goals. (currentways.com) That article discusses 6.6-kilowatt to 22-kilowatt examples rather than Current Ways’ specific product, but it provides context for why silicon carbide is commonly cited in this category. ### What comes next for buyers and for Current Ways? Current Ways is directing prospective customers to standard and custom quote-request forms on its website, rather than publishing pricing or shipment dates for the CWOBA3333Q. (everythingpe.com) The company’s forms ask for battery-pack voltage, charge-rate targets, mounting details, cooling requirements and annual volume estimates. The California-backed CWUBIC project remains active, with Current Ways saying it aims to validate noise fixes, deliver prototypes to key customers and finalize a manufacturing plan in the next quarter. The same project page says the company has been in discussions with Monarch Tractor and Volvo about commercialization by 2026. (wolfspeed.com) (energizeinnovation.fund) (currentways.com)