Shell has introduced a bespoke transmission oil for Nissan’s Formula E team, which it says it developed and tested in close cooperation with the team for use in its new powertrain.
The Formula E championship is restricted to electric cars, where power is strictly limited, although fans can vote before a race to give their favourite drivers a power boost that can be used in a five-second window. Drivers can also receive a power boost by driving through a designated off-track area to activate attack mode, with precise details only being released shortly before the race.
With power being tightly regulated, efficiency is therefore vitally important to winning races. Inverter and motor efficiency is already close to 100%, however, but the transmission is one component where potential efficiency gains can be made. Like with many demanding applications, getting the lubricant properties right in terms of viscosity, friction reduction and reliability is vitally important.
Shell’s Vice President for Lubricant Technology, Selda Gunsel, said that Nissan was a leader in developing electric mobility solutions, one that shared Shell’s view of:
“Formula E as a rich territory for the innovation of e-mobility technologies that all EV drivers can benefit from, including our Shell E-Fluids range that is designed to protect passenger EVs against electric motor corrosion, improve range through increased transmission efficiency, and enhance the charging process via efficient thermal management.”
Nissan’s new drivetrain with Shell’s new lubricant debuted at the Monaco E-Prix on May 8, which was won by last year’s champion António Félix da Costa.
