2 Sept 2025
Shell Lubricants (“Shell”) has developed and successfully demonstrated a breakthrough EV thermal management fluid designed to significantly reduce charging times while maintaining battery safety, stability, and lifespan—helping accelerate the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
London – Immersion Cooling Unlocks Faster Charging and Longer Range for EVs
Shell Lubricants (“Shell”) has developed and successfully demonstrated a breakthrough EV thermal management fluid designed to significantly reduce charging times while maintaining battery safety, stability, and lifespan—helping accelerate the adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Working with UK-based automotive innovation leader RML Group, Shell created a 34 kWh battery pack using its EV-Plus Thermal Fluid, which incorporates proprietary Gas-to-Liquid (GTL) technology. The system is capable of charging from 10% to 80% in under 10 minutes. By reducing thermal stresses, the fluid enables much higher charging currents to be safely managed.
In practical terms, when paired with a lightweight, aerodynamic vehicle operating at 10 km/kWh efficiency, this technology can achieve charging gains equivalent to 24 km of range per minute, compared to the typical 5 km per minute delivered by many existing BEVs. This performance leap comes with fewer components, reduced mass, and optimized design.
Advanced Thermal Management
Shell’s EV-Plus Thermal Fluids are electrically non-conductive and deliver excellent heat transfer by filling interstitial spaces within the battery pack, ensuring direct contact with each cell. This allows efficient handling of extreme heat loads during rapid charging, maintaining consistent pack temperatures while enhancing protection against thermal events.
The result is a compact, elegant, and cost-effective battery design that showcases the potential of immersion cooling for next-generation EV platforms.
“As we celebrate World EV Day, we are proud to demonstrate how Shell EV-Plus Thermal Fluids can transform battery thermal performance—enabling faster charging, greater safety, improved convenience, and lower costs,” said Jason Wong, Global Executive Vice President, Shell Lubricants. “This innovation reflects our commitment to collaborative solutions that deliver more value with fewer emissions, building on decades of expertise in transformer oils, GTL technology, and immersion cooling for data centres.”
Addressing Range and Charging Concerns
The project comes at a time when BEV adoption is accelerating—global sales grew 14% in 2024 compared to 2023. According to the Shell Recharge Survey, EVs in Europe and the US are already driven more than ICE vehicles, with over 52% of EV drivers covering more than 15,000 km annually versus 22% for ICE vehicles in Europe and 42% in the US.
However, range anxiety and charging infrastructure remain key barriers, with over 44% of non-EV drivers in Europe, the US, and China citing these concerns.
“Consumers are seeking better energy efficiency, longer range, and faster charging,” said Robert Mainwaring, Shell’s lead engineer on the project. “Our goal was to demonstrate how EV-Plus Thermal Fluids can reduce charging times dramatically without compromising cell life or integrity. We believe advanced thermal management is the key to unlocking a new generation of sustainable, efficient, and affordable EV solutions.”
The detailed article is published by https://www.shell.com/ can be accessed from https://www.shell.com/business-customers/industrial-lubricants-and-specialty-fluids-for-business/news-and-media-releases/2025/shell-ev-thermal-fluid-development-paves-way-for-charging-with-enhanced-safety.html
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