Shell launches E-Fluids for electrified commercial vehicles
Shell has extended its globally available specialised fluids portfolio – Shell E-Fluids – to support battery electric (BEV) as well as fuel cell electric (FCEV) powertrains for commercial light, medium and heavy duty vehicles.
This extension to its product portfolio builds on the successful launch of the Shell E-Fluids range for passenger vehicles in May 2019. With this expansion to the product portfolio, manufacturers of all electric vehicles from passenger and van models to larger trucks and buses can now benefit from the extensive range of specialised Shell E-Fluids and E-Greases.
“Once added to the sealed environments of BEV or FCEV commercial vehicles, the fluids need to perform at optimum levels over the vehicle’s lifetime; this is why first fill is so important for electric vehicles,” said Carlos Maurer, executive vice president, Global Commercial, Shell. “We have used Shell gas-to-liquid (GTL) base oil technology for the Shell E-fluids portfolio because its low viscosity properties allow for higher efficiency in the vehicle’s powertrain. Our lubricants research laboratories have focused on delivering cutting-edge fluid solutions to meet the specific electric drivetrain challenges of temperature control, oxidation, copper erosion and thermal conductivity.”
The commercial road transport sector, which delivers goods to shops and consumers’ homes as well as providing public transport, emits 8% of global energy related CO2. The lead to decarbonise road freight is being driven by policy action in markets such as the EU, China, South Korea and Japan as well as voluntary action by corporates. Both BEV and FCEV solutions will have a role to play because the pathways and timelines for road freight decarbonisation will vary by geography, sector and duty sector. Shell E-Fluids is one of the ways that Shell is partnering with the commercial vehicle sector to help deliver decarbonisation pathways.
The Shell E-Fluids range for commercial vehicles consists of e-transmission fluids, e-greases and battery thermal fluids. To date commercial vehicle manufacturers have had to predominantly rely on a range of fluids, which have been developed for internal combustion engines vehicles and do not deliver the necessary ultimate performance and efficiency for electric powered vehicles.
