Several of the world’s major lubricant manufacturers and a growing number of smaller players have stepped into the dedicated electric vehicle fluid arena. The future of personal mobility will almost certainly be electric, and even though there’s plenty of road left to travel in internal combustion engines, this group of EV fluid producers are investing in EV-optimized lubrication products.
In addition, lubricant and additive companies, as well as chemicals companies, are focusing on thermal management fluids for batteries and electronics. Many of the current crop of EV coolants were developed for ICEs and were further optimized for EVs. But development is shifting toward EV-specific products that can meet the demands of the e-mobility future. The R&D push for in-car coolants can be spun off into fluids for heat management at data centers.
Below is a sample of some of the companies producing EV and data center fluids. If you are a manufacturer of an e-fluid not mentioned in this list or would like to provide additional information about a product, contact info@lubesngreases.com.
Arteco
Belgian company Arteco launched Freecor EV Multi 10, its multifunctional coolant for EVs in April 2023 for e-motors, power electronics, batteries and all other components in BEVs and hybrids.
In the same month, the company launched its Zitrec EC range of heat transfer fluids designed for electronics and data center cooling. Zitrec is a direct-to-chip coolant for optimal performance and efficiency, enabling components to operate at higher speeds without the risk of overheating.
Arteco is a coolant company and is not in the traditional lubricant space. But the company could face stiffening competition as legacy lube companies move into the coolant business.
BASF
BASF’s Glysantin launched a battery coolant specifically developed for indirectly cooled systems and for higher reliability and safety, into the Chinese automotive aftermarket. Glysantin the is a ready-to-use coolant, in addition to well-known protection, offers low electrical conductivity and maintains low and stable currents when exposed to a voltage source.
German chemical company BASF patented Glysantin in 1929 and is the world’s first engine coolant. With the latest product innovation, the company now specifically targets BEVs.
Castrol
More than half of the world’s major automakers use Castrol’s e-fluids in their factory fill lineups, the company claims. A Castrol e-fluid is even used on Nasa’s InSight Mars lander.
Products include On Transmission wet and dry transmissions, On Grease for e-motors and On Thermal dielectric battery coolant.
Castrol and EV propulsion specialist Sprint Power will jointly develop ultra-fast battery packs using Castrol’s ON EV thermal fluid as the coolant. The collaboration follows Castrol’s announcement that it will build a new EV battery test center, further cementing the company’s commitment to e-mobility.
In April 2022, the U.K. company released its e-transmission fluid to aftermarket sales.
Castrol’s ON and EV propulsion specialist Sprint Power will jointly develop ultra-fast battery packs using Castrol’s ON EV thermal fluid as the coolant. The collaboration follows Castrol’s announcement that it will build a new EV battery test center, further cementing the company’s commitment to e-mobility.
Cepsa
Spain’s Cepsa extended its conventional Xtar range to include fluids optimized for EVs and hybrids. Cepsa will distribute these products to more than 80 countries and will make them available through 1,800 service stations in Spain and Portugal, as well as in workshops and official distributors. What the range comprises is to be announced.
ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil launched its Mobil EV range in 2019, including Therm Elite 701 and 702 thermal management fluids; Drive 201, Drive EP 202 and 203, and Drive Elite EP 801 reduction gearbox fluids; Cool Drive 301 and 302, and Cool Drive Elite 901 integrated e-motor and reduction gear fluids; EM 100 electric drive motor grease; and WB 100 and WB Elite 150 wheel bearing greases.
In January 2022, Exxon announced that effective on April 1, it would streamline EV lubrication and plastics developed for EVs under the auspices of ExxonMobil Product Solutions Company. Two other business units will be ExxonMobil Product Solutions and ExxonMobil Low Carbon Solutions.
In November 2023, the company launched a suite of data centre immersion cooling fluids.
Fuchs Petrolub SE
Germany’s heavyweight independent producer Fuchs makes a range called Blue EV. When it was first launched in September 2022, the range included DriveFluid transmission oil for electric and hybrid drivetrains; MotorGrease specifically designed for electric motors; and ThermalFluid dielectric heat transfer fluid.
In May 2020, the company bought a 28% stake of E-Lyte Innovations GmbH. E-Lyte is a start-up that develops and produces electrolytes for high-performance batteries in the industrial and automotive sectors.
Fuchs released its Renolin fluids for electronic component cooling global product line, which is formulated with synthetic base oils.
GS Caltex
GS Caltex from the US and South Korea’s Kixx Oil produce Kixx EV transmission oil for gear or motor reducers and a coolant for the battery system.
Kixx Oil introduced a data centre cooling product, Kixx Immersion Fluid S, in November 2023.
Gulf Oil Lubricants India
In India, Gulf Oil Lubricants developed and launched eLEC in 2120. The range icludes eLEC brake fluids, eLEC coolant, eLEC driveline fluid.
HP Lubricants
Also in India, HP Lubricants released HPEV ,n early 2020. The range includes HP EV Brake Fluid; HP EV Hubgrease; HP EV Koolgard, a coolant; HP EV Polygrease; HP EV Steering Fluid; and HP EV Transmission Fluid.
Idemitsu
Idemitsu from Japan offers Type‑A, for e-motors integrated with the gears; Type-C, for e-motors applied to the engine or the existing transmission with specific electrical and material compatibility and added thermal transfer requirements; and Type-G, For e-motors at the rear axle with extremely high speeds and small sump volumes.
Liquid Moly
Battery Coolant EV 200 is Liquid Moly’s ready-to-use indirect battery cooling fluid. The fluid contains organic acid and corrosion inhibitors to extend service life. Flux inhibitors prevent damage caused by flux residues in the cooling system, and reduces hydrogen in the system that and lead to hydrolysis. The product is intended for indirect battery cooling systems that require reduced conductivity. The product is aimed at Korean OEMs.
JXTG EV Fluid
Originating in Japan, in 2020 JXTG launched Eneos Gear Protection, Eneos HV AT for automatic transmissions of electric and hybrid vehicles, Eneos Motor Cool, Eneos Energy Saving, Eneos Isolation for electrical insulation and Eneos Battery Cool.
Petronas
Petronas’ Iona came out in 2019. It features Iona Integra DNF transmission, final reduction gear and wet brake fluid; Iona Thermal HPFD thermal management fluid; and Iona Integra Plus FCA transmission fluid.
The Malaysian national oil company co-developed Iona Integra Plus for vehicle maker Iveco’s zero-emission vehicle eDaily, specifically the e-Transfer case.
Petro-Canada Lubricants
Petro Canada Lubricants launched its line of purpose-built lubricants – Petro-Canada Lubricants EVR – in July 2023. The range includes EVR Driveline, EVR Thermal Management and EVR Motor Greases.
Phillips 66
Lube company Phillips 66 makes e-Shield, which it launched in March 2021. It features the usual trio of system fluid, grease and coolant. Several major original equipment manufacturers use the e-Shield EV fluid system in their EV factory-fills, the company claims
Repsol
Spain’s Respol began to market EV fluids in March 2021. Products include a battery thermal fluid, motors or inverters; a coolant antifreeze 50% for batteries, motors, or inverters; an automatic transmission fluid; a brake fluid; and a complex synthetic grease for bearings and motors.
Shell
Global giant Shell first released a range of greases, coolants and transmission fluids in 2019, later expanded in 2020 to include new products for light- to heavy-duty commercial BEVs and fuel-cell EVs.
S-Oil
Seven EV is available to South Korean EV drivers from 2021.
SK Enmove
SK Enmove, headquartered in South Korea, has been providing specialized fluids for integrated e-motors and reduction gears to leading EV manufacturers worldwide since the early 2010s, spanning markets in Korea, the US, China and Europe under the newly introduced brand ZIC e-FLO. Additionally, in 2023, SK Enmove introduced a thermal fluid tailored for immersion cooling, catering to applications in data centers, EV chargers and ESS battery packs.
Total
French major energy company Total markets Quartz for hybrids and Rubia for industrial, commercial and utility EVs.
Products include Quartz features EV-AT, EV-AMT, EV-DCT and EV-CVT transmission fluids for automatic hybrids, automated manual hybrids, dual-clutch transmissions and continuously variable transmissions, respectively.
EV-Drive R for EV drivetrain reducers; EV-Drive MP lube and coolant fluid for EV drivetrains, EV-Battery thermal management fluid for EV and hybrid batteries; and EV-Motor thermal management fluid for EV and PHEVs. Rubia features the same products tuned for industrial vehicles minus the DVT and CVT transmission fluids.
Valvoline
Heavyweight U.S. lubricant company Valvoline launched Performance Fluids and XEV in September 2019. The range includes a heat transfer fluid for battery applications, fuel-cells and charging applications; a transmission fluid; a brake fluid; and a grease for e-motors and seal bearings. Two years later, it launched a hybrid motor oil, battery protection fluid and fluids for transmissions and brakes in China.
ZF
In August 2022, German car parts maker ZF launched ZF Lifeguard for reduction gears, electric motors and power electronics, ZF Lifeguard Hybrid for ZF passenger car hybrid transmissions.
The German company introduced a range of aftermarket e-Fluids. The company recognises the growth in independent workshops and so developed a range of fluids to fill the need for aftermarket products for EVs and PHEVs.
3M
Novec direct contact cooling for battery systems.
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