Photo: Freepik
In yet another sign that electric vehicles are the wave of the future, the latest innovation in charging technology has come from an unexpected source: an oil company.
Shell Lubricants, a division of the Shell Oil Company, has created a breakthrough new thermal management fluid for use in EVs, according to New Atlas.
While that might sound like something that requires a degree in chemistry to understand, the end result is simple: faster charging times.
But just how much faster? Shell has claimed that its fluid allows EVs to charge from 10% to 80% capacity in about 10 minutes, per New Atlas.
Several challenges have confronted experts looking for ways to charge EVs faster. Namely, fast charging can compromise safety and potentially shorten a battery’s lifespan.
According to a statement by Shell, the company «has successfully formulated and demonstrated a high-performance EV thermal management fluid with the ability to unlock significant reductions in charging times without compromise to battery safety, thermal stability or lifespan, aiding the widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles.»
In the comment section of the New Atlas article, readers expressed mixed views on the announcement.
«This is great news,» said one commenter. «I’m impressed that even oil companies are seeing the inevitable (and profitable) future.»
Others were more skeptical.
«It’s probably a consumable,» another commenter wrote. «EVs will take over, but now you’ll need to go to Shell to get your ‘battery gas.'»
While companies can change, consumers have plenty of reasons to be wary of Shell based on the company’s checkered history.
For example, a Shell subsidiary operating in Nigeria has faced years of litigation over allegations that, in 2008, two of the company’s pipelines leaked oil into local waterways for five straight weeks. Last summer, a Nigerian monarch demanded that the company pay billions in reparations before shutting down operations in the country.
While EVs do have an environmental cost, research shows that their cradle-to-grave environmental impact is far less than that of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.
For example, while the world still generates much of its electricity from burning dirtier, nonrenewable fuels like coal and natural gas, an EV charged off the average American power grid still is only responsible for as much heat-trapping pollution as a gas-powered car getting 100 miles per gallon, according to MIT Climate Portal.
To push the environmental benefits of driving an EV even further, and to save money on electricity, you can charge your EV with home solar. Doing so is cheaper than charging off the grid or at a public charging station, while also giving you the added satisfaction of knowing your vehicle is powered by cleaner, renewable energy from the sun.
If upgrading to home solar feels overwhelming, EnergySage can help with free, easy-to-use online tools that allow you to compare quotes among vetted local installers while also making sure that you take maximum advantage of government rebates and other incentives available in your state.
However, federal EV tax credits shuttered Sept. 30. With tax credits for solar expiring Dec. 31, this is your last chance to act if you want to take advantage of the thousands of dollars in potential savings.
Source: msn
