Charge your EV from 0-80% in just 10 mins: Shell Lubricants develops new battery fluid

In a new release of technology, Shell Lubricants has developed a high-performance thermal management fluid that can help your electric vehicles charge from 10-80% in just 10 minutes, Interesting Engineering reported. 

Compared to conventional BEVs, the new immersion cooling technology will allow for smaller, lighter batteries that can offer up to five times the range while utilising the current charging infrastructure.

As per the company’s press release, the update highlights the company’s aim to allay consumer worries regarding charging time, which more than 44% of non-EV drivers in major car markets have highlighted as a major obstacle to EV adoption.

In a collaborative effort with automotive innovation firm RML Group, Shell showcased the fluid's potential using a 34 kWh battery pack. According to the company's estimates, this charging speed might provide a range of 24 kilometres per minute of charging (14 miles per minute) for a future, highly aerodynamic car with an efficiency of 10 km/kWh (about 6.2 miles/kWh). 

The update remains groundbreaking as the current market leaders, like Lucid Air Pure, provide an efficiency of 8.04 km/kWh (5 miles/kWh).

One of the main issues with EV battery technology is heat management. A significant amount of thermal energy is produced during high-speed charging, which can shorten the battery's lifespan overall, hasten cell deterioration, and, in rare instances, cause safety problems like thermal runaway. One of the reasons for battery degradation is the buildup of the cells. The use of cold plates in conventional cooling systems, which provide indirect contact with battery cells, might lead to an uneven distribution of temperature. Shell’s new technology will use its new EV-Plus Thermal Fluid as an immersion cooling liquid to allow battery cells to be in complete contact with the fluid. 

This comes as the market for battery electric vehicles is still rising globally, with sales in 2024 observing a hike of 14% from the year before. As a result of this expansion, technologies which can overcome the user’s energy transition dilemma are in high demand.