MATERIALS
its main constituent base oil. This circular base oil is then blended with performance additives to make a fresh batch of the EV transmission fl uid which is then added to the Jaguar I-TYPE 6’s gearbox in place of fl uid containing virgin base oil. This process comes with a
circularity-mindset, but Lambert stresses that it is not yet 100% circular as the recovered base oil only counts for a certain proportion of the waste fl uid. “We are able to recover a very signifi cant percentage of the base fl uid through the re-refi ning process, around 89%,” he says. “Then it’s about closing the loop – once we’ve got the waste, we’ve got be able to recover the useful base oil molecules, then turn them into a formulated product that is able to go into an application.”
EV FLUID BENEFITS Castrol is partnered with many manufacturers to ensure its lubricants deliver what EV drivers want: to go further on a single charge, enable transmission and component parts to have a longer life, and ensure the health of the battery lasts longer. For example, EV transmission fl uids help reduce energy losses and extend the life of an EV drivetrain system, and
help protect a vehicle’s gears. Castrol’s EV thermal fl uids can also help reduce the maximum temperatures which the cell batteries reach during ultra-fast charging, indirectly cooling the system. For Jaguar TCS Racing specifi cally,
Lambert expresses how the team, and its partners, are always fi nding new ways to improve performance in their cars. “Being able to prove that you can take a performance technology in a high performance environment and pivot to a more sustainable approach without compromise, has been huge,” he says. Jaguar TCS Racing’s partnership
with Castrol has become a proof point for the wider business. “Here at JLR, we have signed with Castrol, and they will be utilising re-refi ned base oils, but on an industrial scale,” he adds. “We see racing at the heart of the technical development here at JLR. More of the work that we do in house and more of the work that we do with our partners, is refl ected back into the business here.”
A PROVING GROUND Both Jaguar TCS Racing and Castrol will collect key data within the contained ecosystem to develop a technical and practical understanding
of the technology and processes surrounding more circular transmission fl uid systems. The ultimate aim is to apply these learnings from the track to everyday road cars. Barclay highlights how Jaguar
TCS Racing is the fi rst Formula E team to deploy this circular process and “set the standard for pioneering circularity within the paddock”. He also believes that this key discovery will help technical experts within the partnership to “learn what is possible when pushing the boundaries of EV fl uids for the benefi t of future road cars.” Lambert agrees, stating that
technological developments and learnings seen across the Jaguar TCS Racing team could help accelerate developments across the wider JLR business. “There are concepts that would normally live in a research space in an OEM that would take around four to fi ve years to get to maturation ready for a road car application. We are trying to de-risk a lot of the early phases of development. The technology developments seen in Formula E, and the learnings around it, can help accelerate those early phases.”
With a circularity-fi rst mindset, used Castrol ON EV Transmission Fluid is collected from the Jaguar I-Type 6 transmission, re-refi ned and blended to make a more circular EV transmission fl uid
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