Shell Lubricants (“Shell”), has successfully formulated and demonstrated a high-performance EV thermal management fluid with the ability to unlock significant reductions in charging times without compromise to battery safety, thermal stability or lifespan, aiding the widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles [BEVs].
In collaboration with RML Group – one of the leading UK automotive innovation companies - a 34 kWHr battery pack using Shell EV-Plus Thermal Fluid featuring proprietary Shell Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) Technology, has been developed which is capable of charging from 10% to 80% capacity in under 10 minutes. The thermal fluid reduces thermal stresses very significantly allowing much higher cell charging currents to be tolerated.
If utilised in a carefully designed lightweight and aerodynamic car operating with an economy of 10 km/kWHr, a charging rate of 24km per minute spent charging would be achieved - significantly higher than the typical 5km per minute currently attained by many existing BEV designs by optimising performance whilst significantly reducing the number and mass of components.
Shell EV-Plus Thermal Fluids are electrically non-conductive fluids, which facilitate excellent heat transfer by filling all of the interstitial spaces within the battery pack, maximising direct contact between the fluid and each battery cell. They accommodate the very high levels of heat generation associated with rapid charging, ensuring extraordinary consistency and control of temperatures across the pack whilst offering enhanced protection against adverse thermal events. The advanced thermal management technology on display in this collaborative project was developed to showcase compact battery pack designs that are elegant, cost-effective and less complex.
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