Shell and FAW TRUCKS Advance Immersion Cooling Validation for Commercial Vehicle Batteries
In September 2026, Shell and FAW TRUCKS reported progress in validating immersion cooling for commercial vehicle batteries. Further performance data will follow completion of vehicle validation.
As commercial vehicles adopt more electrified and hybrid powertrains, battery thermal management has become an important system-design consideration. High-power charging and discharging, together with sustained operating loads, place demands on temperature control. Cooling solutions must therefore manage heat while remaining compatible with battery architecture, electrical safety requirements and vehicle operating conditions. Immersion cooling offers an alternative to conventional indirect cooling by bringing an electrically insulating fluid into direct contact with battery cells.
On September 9, 2026, Shell and FAW TRUCKS announced that their jointly developed battery pack had been integrated into the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid concept truck for vehicle validation. The system uses Shell’s electrically insulating immersion cooling fluid to surround the battery cells. The companies reported that the pack had undergone industry-standard testing and vehicle evaluations, including sustained high-power charging and discharging under demanding commercial-vehicle conditions. The evaluations included independent verification by China Automotive Technology and Research Center Co., Ltd.
Initial vehicle-validation results indicated, under specific test conditions, up to a 98% increase in maximum gradability, a 0.8% improvement in vehicle-level energy efficiency and potential battery-life improvement of up to 32%. These figures are preliminary results from joint testing on a specific vehicle platform. They should not be interpreted as performance outcomes guaranteed for all commercial vehicles or battery systems. The announcement stated that final performance data would be released after the validation process is complete.
Further assessment of immersion cooling must consider electrical insulation, material compatibility, heat-transfer performance, long-term fluid stability and maintenance requirements. Compatibility between the fluid and battery components, system sealing and operating conditions may all affect real-world performance. Validation results should therefore be interpreted in the context of the vehicle configuration, test methods and intended application.
The Shell–FAW TRUCKS collaboration illustrates an emerging application of specialty fluids in commercial-vehicle battery thermal management. Further public results will help clarify the technology’s suitability for hybrid and other commercial-vehicle applications as validation progresses.
