Shell has expanded its globally available specialized 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. Shell works with truck and bus manufacturers to co-engineer bespoke fluids that meet the specific needs of their different electric drivetrains for their commercial vehicle models.
This extension to the portfolio builds on the successful launch of the Shell E-Fluids range for passenger vehicles in May 2019. With this expansion to the portfolio, manufacturers of all electric vehicles from passenger and van models to larger trucks and buses can now benefit from the extensive range of specialized 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 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.
