Shell has unveiled a high-performance thermal fluid designed for electric vehicles (EVs) that enables a 34 kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery pack to charge from 10% to 80% in under ten minutes, the company said on Monday.
The EV-Plus Thermal Fluid, developed by Shell Lubricants in partnership with UK automotive innovation firm RML Group, is electrically non-conductive and designed to improve heat transfer while reducing thermal stress and enhancing battery safety. Immersion cooling allows more compact and lightweight designs, which Shell says can deliver up to five times more range per minute of charging compared with current battery electric vehicles on today’s charging networks.
The fluid fills interstitial spaces within a battery pack to ensure direct contact with each cell, providing precise temperature control during rapid charging and greater protection against adverse thermal events. It also reduces the number and mass of components needed for conventional cooling systems, potentially lowering cost and simplifying design.
“As we celebrate World EV Day, we are thrilled to demonstrate that Shell EV-Plus Thermal Fluids can help to significantly improve battery thermal performance, paving the way towards higher charging efficiencies, enhanced safety, convenience and cost-effectiveness— to support the widespread adoption of BEVs demanded by legislative initiatives around the world,” said Jason Wong, global executive vice president of Shell Lubricants.
Robert Mainwaring, Shell’s lead engineer on the project, added: “Consumers are in pursuit of better energy efficiency, longer driving range and faster charging. Our ambition within this project was to show how Shell EV-Plus Thermal Fluids can support significant reductions in charging time without compromising cell integrity and lifetime. By embracing advanced thermal management solutions, we believe this will open the door to a new generation of more sustainable, efficient and cost-effective battery electric vehicle solutions.”