Shell and FAW Trucks have developed and tested a battery pack using immersion cooling, a technology designed to improve thermal management, vehicle performance and battery durability.
The system relies on an electrically insulating fluid that surrounds the battery cells and transfers heat away from them more effectively during operation. This is particularly relevant for commercial vehicles, whose batteries can face demanding conditions during acceleration, heavy-load operation and charging.
By maintaining more consistent cell temperatures, the technology could improve energy efficiency and overall vehicle performance while also helping extend battery life.
The battery pack was developed as part of Shell and FAW Trucks’ ongoing work on hybrid and electrified commercial vehicle technologies. The two companies are continuing to validate the system for potential integration into future FAW hybrid trucks.
“As commercial vehicles continue to evolve, so do the technologies needed to support them. By working closely with original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) like FAW TRUCKS, we’re developing advanced fluid solutions designed to support evolving vehicle technologies, including electrification powertrains and thermal management systems,” said Cara Tredget, vice president of Mobility & Lubricants Technology at Shell.
She added that the Shell Starship Hybrid demonstrates what can be achieved when collaboration and innovation are combined.
What the tests showed
Initial vehicle validation produced improvements across several performance indicators. According to Shell, maximum gradability increased by up to 98%, vehicle-level energy efficiency improved by 0.8%, and battery life could potentially increase by as much as 32%.
The results were obtained by testing the battery pack under specific vehicle conditions, including sustained high-power charging and discharging.
The battery pack also underwent industry-standard testing and vehicle evaluations. Shell said the results were verified by the China Automotive Technology and Research Center.
The company stressed that the reported figures come from joint testing conducted by Shell and FAW Trucks under specific test conditions. Final performance figures will be released once the validation process has been completed.
How immersion cooling works
Immersion cooling removes heat from battery cells by surrounding them with an electrically insulating fluid. Unlike conventional systems that rely on a separate cooling plate or similar mechanism, the fluid comes directly into contact with the cells, allowing heat to be transferred away from a greater portion of the battery.
The approach is intended to create a more consistent temperature throughout the battery pack. That becomes increasingly important during high-power charging and discharging, when batteries generate significant amounts of heat.
Shell is applying the technology to the Starship 3.0 Hybrid. According to the company, conventional battery cooling systems primarily cool batteries from underneath, whereas the immersion fluid surrounds the cells and is designed to improve heat transfer and provide more uniform temperatures throughout the pack.
From concept to commercial use
“Better thermal management for commercial trucks could allow manufacturers to boost power and charging capability without compromising battery longevity.
However, the Shell and FAW tests so far have been on a concept vehicle, in specific test conditions. The results have not been shown on a production fleet yet.
The immersion-cooled battery pack has not been announced as a production system. Shell is working with FAW Trucks to explore its use in future FAW hybrid commercial vehicles and plans to further develop immersion-cooling fluids for wider commercial vehicle applications.
The technology is part of Shell’s Starship program, a technology demonstration platform aimed at improving commercial vehicle efficiency and reducing emissions.
Shell and FAW Trucks created the Starship 3.0 Hybrid as a platform to test technologies such as hybrid powertrains and battery thermal management under commercial vehicle operating conditions.
FAW Trucks is a majority owned subsidiary of China FAW Group and is headquartered in Changchun, China. Shell is bringing its expertise in lubricants and thermal-management fluids and FAW is bringing its expertise in the engineering and development of commercial vehicles to the collaboration.
The companies will present the latest validation progress and the Shell Starship Hybrid with an immersion-cooled battery pack at the FAW Trucks booth during IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany, starting Sept. 14.
The technology is at present still in the validation stage. Whether the Starship concept truck’s performance can be replicated in a battery system suitable for production hybrid commercial vehicles is yet to be seen.
Why this matters
Battery thermal management is becoming increasingly important as commercial vehicle manufacturers seek greater power, faster or more capable charging and longer battery life.
Immersion cooling could provide truck manufacturers with another method of controlling the heat generated by batteries under demanding operating conditions, potentially supporting the next generation of hybrid and electrified commercial vehicles.
