Shell has bucked the technology trend by producing its Shell Concept Car that runs on petrol but promises massive energy production and fuel efficiency savings via “co-engineering”.

UNLIKELY TO EVER GO into production, the Shell Concept Car is being hailed as “tangible proof of energy efficiency improvements that can be achieved by using cutting edge technology available today through a process of “co-engineering” whereby vehicle body, engine design and lubricants are all created together”.

According to tests, the Shell Concept Car would deliver a 34% reduction in energy use over its lifecycle compared to a traditionally produced town car. It also requires half the energy to produce when compared to a “typical small family car”, only with three seats the Shell Concept Car isn’t exactly a small family car…

Based on the Gordon Murray Design T.25 city car that was revealed in 2010 and which Shell produced a prototype oil for, the Shell Concept Car is a co-engineering collaboration between vehicle, engine and lubricant designers. Testing suggests the concept car would return 2.64L/100km at an average speed of 70km/h.

Mark Gainsborough, Executive Vice-President of Shell’s global lubricants businesses which backed the project said, “This is a significant automobile engineering milestone. I’m very proud of what Shell’s scientists and their partners at Geo Technology and Gordon Murray Design have achieved. Insights gained from this project could be transformational in terms of how we address energy use in the road transport sector. Energy use and climate change are major issues for society. This project shows that if we use the best of today’s technology, including cutting edge lubricants science, we could potentially have a major impact on energy use and reduce CO₂ emissions. The improvement in economy derived from the collaborative design of engine and lubricant is impressive and highlights the enormous benefits achieved from close relationships between design partners. It also shows the powerful role that lubricants can potentially play in helping achieve CO₂ reduction targets.”

Built around Gordon Murray Design’s patented iStream platform, a number of the car’s components were created using 3D printing to accelerate the construction of this prototype vehicle.  The car also uses recycled carbon fibre for its body that can be assembled for a quarter of the price of a conventional steel car and almost the entire car can be recycled at the end of its life.

Dr. Andrew Hepher, Vice President, of Shell’s lubricant research team said: “Our car may be small, but it’s packed with potential. We want to accelerate the conversation about how we make road vehicles more energy efficient and less carbon-intensive.”

Question: Is the Shell Concept Car about 10 years too late? With many car manufacturers accelerating towards electric vehicles is there any real appeal in this oil-reliant concept?