A Look at the Shell Starship
The Aim
The original Shell Starship was created to demonstrate what energy demand reduction could be possible in freight transportation. Starship 2.0 sought to display current technologies being utilized to reduce CO2 emissions while increasing fuel economy and freight ton efficiency. Now, Shell has ambitiously set out to prove that renewable natural gas (RNG) is a viable fuel option for heavy transport.
The Starship
On its third iteration, the Starship is a truck made to run on RNG. Aside from the Cummins X15NTM natural gas engine powered by RNG, the truck includes features such as aerodynamic design and low rolling resistance tires.
Performance
The newest Starship completed a successful demonstration run int he Fall of 2023 with powerful results: 2.5 times better freight ton efficiency (FTE) (assessed on a ton-miles per gallon basis) and 3.2 times better FTE (assessed on a ton-miles per kg of CO2e emitted basis) than the U.S. average for diesel class 8 trucks.
Validation of New Technologies
In addition to the low-viscosity Shell Rotella natural gas engine oil the Starship ran on, Shell Spirax low-viscosity transmission and axle oils helped drive this innovation forward: The lower viscosity of these lubricants lessens the energy required without compromising on necessary and quality performance.
Looking Ahead
The Shell Starship’s progressive iterations underscore the viability of a future in RNG-fueled fleets; trucks with significantly reduced carbon emissions that are able to keep in-step with the volume and pace of the industry as it is today.
