GCK and Motul strengthen their partnership to enter the promising market of immersed batteries

• In early 2022, Motul becomes an official partner of GCK Motorsport, the motorsport division of GCK Group, competing in the world rally-raid and rallycross championships.
• Working together, the two groups have identified other common themes, such as battery performance, which is now at the heart of numerous technologies and mobility developments.
• Submerged batteries offer new opportunities and innovative possibilities to manage temperature variations, allowing OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) to enhance their battery performance. 

Le Bourget du Lac, decembre 14th 2022 –One year after having forged a partnership around motorsport, Green Corp Konnection (GCK) and Motul are broadening the scope of their collaboration to explore promising technologies around thermal battery management, drawing on their respective expertise and passion for mobility. 

Whilst tremendous progress has been made in recent years in the technological development of lithium batteries, one of the major challenges remains the ability to cool them efficiently to maximise their performance and ensure safety. 

Direct immersion is now one of the most promising solutions to this challenge. Motul has developed a highly specialised dielectric heat transfer fluid in which the entire battery designed by GCK Battery, a subsidiary of GCK, is immersed, thereby controlling the heat build-up from high-speed charging while helping to prevent the spread of thermal runaway. The aim is to provide OEMs (Original Equipment Manufacturers) with batteries that can accept ultra-fast charging in less than ten minutes. 

The use of Motul’s cooling fluid for the GCK Battery is just one aspect of the close collaboration between the two groups. Following an ambitious development programme, the first tests carried out at the Lempdes industrial site have given full satisfaction in terms of performance and safety. The solution will soon be tested on test benches and then in real conditions using a unique and specific model of the Lancia Delta Evo-e, a mythical vehicle of the world rally championship of the 80’s, brought up to date and retrofitted by GCK. 

This immersion battery technology is intended in the short term to equip 100% electric high-performance vehicles – racing cars, hypercars, sports cars – and hydrogen vehicles equipped with fuel cells – SUVs, trucks, buses, vans, etc. 

Cédric Loubiat, Managing Director of GCK Battery, says: “Improving the performance and safety of lithium batteries can only be achieved through immersion. 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 and investment in the development of these next generation batteries. “ 

Christophe Lacroix, Director of Innovation and Sustainable Development at Motul, says: “We have developed a dielectric fluid that can dissipate heat and isolate the battery cells. We have targeted three clear benefits: safer batteries, with less risk of fire and longer lasting batteries with faster charging possibilities.