Shell has unveiled its Triple 10 Challenge concept car, a compact electric vehicle that relies on advanced thermal management fluids to deliver ultra-fast charging and exceptional efficiency without the need for massive batteries.

This compact, mass-market EV demonstrates next-generation EV capability and aims to break the automotive industry’s current reliance on heavy, oversized batteries by completely re-engineering how electric vehicles handle heat.

The vehicle is built entirely around three major performance targets: a sub-10-minute ultra-fast charging time, a highly efficient driving economy of 10 km/kWh (6.2mpkWh), and a capped lifetime carbon footprint of just 10 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. This design achieves over a 30% improvement in overall energy efficiency compared to many current-generation EVs. By utilising a smaller, more efficient battery system enabled by Shell’s advanced thermal fluids, the concept addresses core consumer anxieties around charging speed and driving range while keeping environmental sustainability at the absolute forefront.

The Triple 10 Challenge vehicle is able to charge the battery from 10% to 80% charge in 9 minutes 54 seconds, without compromise to thermal stability or lifespan.  While some EVs in market today can charge in under 10 minutes, this requires using an ultra-fast charger in excess of 300kW, which is uncommon on the public charging network.  However, the Triple 10 Challenge vehicle is able to attain this on the existing charging network infrastructure using a standard 175kW charger, adding 24km/minute range, compared to typical BEVs at an average 13km/minute range on the same charger – equivalent to almost 90% more range added per minute of charge.

The Triple 10 Challenge is the first road-worthy vehicle to have successfully demonstrated the potential of a simplified, single-circuit cooling architecture to efficiently manage the thermal load of the car’s entire powertrain, even under the most extreme fast-charging scenario in real-world conditions.

The key to the Triple 10 Challenge car’s performance is Shell Recharge thermal fluid. Unlike traditional cooling systems that use water-glycol, Shell’s dielectric fluid allows for direct immersion cooling of the battery and indirect cooling of the powertrain components including the motor and power electronics.  By redefining heat management across the battery and powertrain, the team has unlocked the potential for faster charging, lighter systems and improved lifecycle efficiency – using technologies that exist and can scale today.

Cara Tredget, VP mobility & lubricants technology for Shell, said: “With the Triple 10 Challenge concept car, we have unlocked the potential for faster charging, lighter systems and improved lifecycle efficiency by using our advanced thermal fluids. Together with our co-engineering partners, we are proud to develop alternative options for sustainable EV development leveraging technologies that are available today and are scalable to support customers into the future.”

The Triple 10 Challenge concept car is estimated to have a lifecycle carbon footprint of approximately 10 tonnes CO2e. Enabled by its lightweight design, optimised battery capacity, low-carbon and recyclable materials, together with 100% renewable electricity for vehicle charging, this is estimated to represent around a 50% reduction in lifecycle emissions compared to typical battery electric vehicles in the European market.

Unveiled at Horiba Mira’s proving ground, the concept car is the culmination of Shell’s Triple 10 Challenge. By incorporating a more compact and efficient battery pack design with fewer modules and using Shell’s advanced thermal fluid, enabling a simplified housing architecture, these improvements contribute to about a 25% reduction in overall battery pack cost compared to a conventional EV.

Furthermore, Shell has announced the integration of its full EV capabilities together under Shell Recharge – from charging, to fluids, to battery solutions, to create a stronger, single end-to-end offer for both B2B and B2C EV customers. As part of this, the Shell EV-Plus brand will be retired.