Motul specializes in engine lubricants. There’s just one problem. Many electric vehicles don’t require fluids to keep their motors running. As more and more nations embrace zero emissions initiatives, the shifting marketplace threatens to leave Motul’s bread and butter in the dust. The French brand won’t take the back seat, however, and Motul recently partnered with Green Corp Konnection (GCK) to help stabilize electric battery performance and charging.
According to Motul, three factors hinder today’s power packs: size/weight, lifespan, and fast-charging safety. To offset these deficiencies, GCK and Motul will focus on EV thermal management by developing liquid-immersed batteries.
“We’ve developed a dielectric fluid that can dissipate the heat and isolate the cells of the battery,” claimed Motul Chief Information and Sustainability Officer Christophe Lacroix. “We have aimed for three clear benefits: safer batteries, less fire risk, and more durable batteries with faster-charging possibilities.”
The two firms aim to evaluate test units within the project’s e-lab car, a Lancia Delta Integrale. With favorable lab results already in hand, Motul and GCK hope to complete their first test laps in the next three months.
“Enhancing the performance and safety of lithium batteries can only be achieved through immersion,” explained GCK Battery Deputy CEO Cédric Loubiat. “It was therefore essential for GCK Battery to find a leading partner in the development of highly qualified fluids. We are delighted to have Motul's support in the development of these next-generation batteries.”
Motul and GCK’s collaborative efforts will even extend to in-field testing, with the lubricants firm supporting the GCK Dakar Rally team's hydrogen fuel cell car. The outfit will focus on the automotive side of the electric landscape, but that doesn’t exclude its findings from the motrocycle market. While many electric motorbike and scooter manufacturers spring for air-cooled batteries, some high-performance brands such as Energica integrate liquid-cooling systems.
Motul may specialize in engine lubricants, but with any luck, it’ll find a new lane in the ever-evolving electric vehicle space.
