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    White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.White STARSHIP bus with red and yellow stripes parked in front of an industrial building at sunset.

    Shell and FAW Trucks Test New Immersion Cooling Technology for Hybrid Truck Batteries

    Image: (c) Shell

    News
    Post from October 21, 2026

    Shell Lubricants and Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer FAW Trucks have jointly developed a battery pack featuring immersion cooling technology and tested it in the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid concept truck. The technology is designed to improve thermal management in commercial vehicle batteries, thereby increasing their performance, energy efficiency, and service life. According to Shell, initial test results suggest a potential increase in battery life of up to 32% and a 0.8% improvement in energy efficiency. The companies are currently evaluating the technology for potential use in future FAW Trucks hybrid commercial vehicles.

    Shell Lubricants and Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer FAW Trucks have jointly developed a battery pack featuring immersion cooling technology and tested it in the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid concept truck. The technology is designed to improve thermal management in commercial vehicle batteries, thereby increasing their performance, energy efficiency, and service life. According to Shell, initial test results suggest a potential increase in battery life of up to 32% and a 0.8% improvement in energy efficiency. The companies are currently evaluating the technology for potential use in future FAW Trucks hybrid commercial vehicles.

    News
    Post from October 21, 2026
    Technical unit with a finned cooling system and Shell logo, viewed from above.
    (c) Shell

    Immersion Cooling Enables Direct Contact with Battery Cells

    The development focuses on a battery pack in which the cells are directly surrounded by an electrically insulating cooling fluid. Unlike conventional cooling systems, which often regulate battery temperatures through cooling plates located beneath the cells, immersion cooling is designed to enable heat transfer across a larger surface area.

    This approach is intended to dissipate heat more efficiently and achieve a more uniform temperature distribution within the battery. Particularly during high-power charging and discharging, as commonly required in heavy-duty commercial vehicle operations, the technology could reduce thermal stress on battery cells and help maintain their performance over time.

    Initial Tests Indicate Improvements in Performance and Efficiency

    The jointly developed battery system initially underwent industry-standard testing before being integrated into the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid. The project partners then evaluated its performance under demanding operating conditions, including extended periods of high-power charging and discharging.

    According to Shell and FAW Trucks, the results obtained so far indicate an increase of up to 98% in the vehicle's maximum gradeability. In addition, testing showed a 0.8% improvement in vehicle-level energy efficiency. The findings also suggest that battery life could increase by up to 32%.

    However, these results remain preliminary. Final performance data will only be published once the validation process has been completed.

    Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid Serves as a Technology Platform

    The Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid is a demonstration vehicle jointly developed by Shell and FAW Trucks to evaluate new technologies aimed at improving the efficiency of heavy-duty commercial vehicles.

    In addition to the immersion-cooled battery system, the platform is intended to support testing of lubricant technologies and hybrid powertrain components. The goal is to assess their impact on energy consumption, vehicle performance, and CO₂ emissions under realistic operating conditions.

    The battery pack was first unveiled in 2025 and has undergone further development since then. Its integration into the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid marks another step toward potential commercial application.

    Potential Use in Future Hybrid Commercial Vehicles Under Evaluation

    FAW Trucks is currently evaluating whether the immersion-cooled battery system could be used in its future hybrid commercial vehicles. At the same time, Shell plans to expand the development of suitable cooling fluids to additional applications in the commercial vehicle sector.

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