Shell, an oil company famous for.....oil, has developed a new bit of tech that could help electric cars charge really, really fast. Under 10 minutes fast. Welcome to the exciting world of thermal management fluids!
The company has worked with UK engineering and motorsport outfit RML Group to fill the tiny gaps, apertures, and cavities in a small 34kWh battery with proprietary ‘gas-to-liquid’ thermal fluid that keeps the cells cool enough so they can cope with a super-high flow of electricity.
Indeed, Shell says a battery with this fluid can be recharged from 10% to 80% in under 10 minutes. And if this battery-and-special-fluid combo is slotted into a “carefully designed lightweight and aerodynamic car operating with an economy of 10km/kWh,” around 24km of range can be added every minute, it adds.
Now, as far as Top Gear understands, no electric car currently on sale can achieve 10km/kWh. And while 2025’s EVs are aero-friendly, none are lightweight, so there’s work to be done.
OTHER STORIES YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED:
The Suzuki Fronx lands in PH with mild-hybrid, gas options; prices start at P1.059-M
Audi vs. BMW vs. Merc: Which German carmaker has designed the best new-gen interior?
Still, it’s a promising step. Fast, reliable, and consistent charging is one of the keys to better EV spread—you don’t need massive range, just the ability to recharge quickly. Really fast charging heats up battery cells, so much like a regular combustion-engined car’s cooling system, better fluids mean the cells can cope with more ‘stress.’
“Consumers are in pursuit of better energy efficiency, longer driving range, and faster charging,” said Robert Mainwaring, Shell’s lead engineer on the project. “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.”
NOTE: This article first appeared on TopGear.com. Minor edits have been made.
