EVs can take hours to dozens of minutes to charge up that much, depending on the car's charging system, battery temperature, and the battery chemistry that's optimized for energy capacity, safe operation, and lifespan. Charging faster than we currently do presents challenges in these areas.

In collaboration with automotive engineering firm RML Group, Shell has created a fluid that "reduces thermal stresses very significantly allowing much higher cell charging currents to be tolerated."

The non-conductive fluid essentially fills all the gaps in a battery pack to maximize contact with each cell inside, and enables highly efficient heat transfer. That's what makes it possible to push charging speeds without risking damage through overheating.