OK, I'll try using something which is higher than 13.4 V, rather than lower.
The static on the plates is what polarizes the molecules. Producing this static takes some amount of current. If the current going to the cell exceeds this amount, the molecules will start moving, which is not what we want.
After the molecules are polarized, the second stage is to jerk the electrons repeatedly, to move them further and further from their molecule, until they are pulled free and the molecule breaks apart. Apparently, the applied pulses take care of both stages - charging the plates and jerking on the electrons.
