Shell Starship Initiative – accelerating towards a lower carbon future
Since its launch in 2018, the Shell Starship initiative has strived to push the boundaries of energy efficient truck design.
With each generation of the Starship, Shell continues to demonstrate how the Commercial Road Transport sector can collaborate to reduce energy usage and CO2 emissions by harnessing the best of currently available technologies as the industry looks to trusted partners like Shell, to help accelerate their progress with decarbonization solutions.
Both the first- and second-generation versions of the Shell Starship achieved market leading results as we continued to improve on our own success with demonstration runs resulting in improved fuel economy and increased freight-ton efficiency far exceeding the national average for Class 8 Diesel Trucks.
The Shell Starship 3.0 Natural Gas (NG) continued to build on this success, but with a Cummins X15N™ natural gas engine, again achieving exceptional results with more than triple the national average for Class 8 diesel truck in freight-ton efficiency assessed on a tonmiles per kg of CO2e emitted basis3 .
Taking the learnings from the previous versions, the Starship Initiative has gone global with the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid in China. We will continue to innovate with our partners in China to provide valuable insights and learnings for the commercial road transport sector as it accelerates toward a lower carbon future. With the right support, it’s how we will lead the way to power progress together.
Video transcript
Video transcript
Shell Starship 3.0: INDYCAR’s Pennzoil Tech Inspection Trailer Transcript
Duration: 02:51
Description: Showcasing the new Shell Starship 3.0 concept truck.
[Background Shell music plays]
Sound of Shell, techy, soft.
[Animated sequence]
White full-screen background with yellow wavy lines and yellow dots along with gray text at the top that reads “The Shell Starship Initiative Begins”. There are also red numbers below right that read “2018”. Centralized is a video that shows an eighteen-wheeler on a highway.
[Video Footage]
A full-screen video shows the Shell Starship truck on a highway. Close-up shots of the logo “STARSHIP” on the side of the truck, the headlights. Wide shots of Shell Starship truck on highways. Drone overhead shot of Shell Starship truck.
[Female Voiceover]
In 2018, Shell launched a bold vision for the future of freight transport, Shell Starship 1.0. A concept truck designed to challenge the status quo and redefine what efficiency could look like on the open road. It was just the beginning.
[Video Footage]
A full-screen video shows Shell Starship truck at night with four employees wearing high-visibility vests. A Shell starship truck drives down a highway with the back wings open. Low-angle view of trucks’ doors opening. Overhead view of a Shell Starship truck leaving a garage. Wide-angle view of a Shell Starship truck in a manufacturing complex. You see a low view of the Shell Starship truck’s tires on a highway.
[Female Voiceover]
With Starship 2.0, Shell pushed the boundaries even further, delivering improved freight ton efficiency and lower emissions, verified by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.
[Video Footage]
Full-screen footage of a Shell Starship truck driving down a highway in a rural area. Close-up shot of the side of the Shell Starship truck focusing on the “Cummins” logo that has “X15N” in black letters underneath. A partial cab of a truck being built is shown in a garage. Oil pouring out of a gray bottle. Two men inspect a Shell Starship cab. Men inside the truck inspect.
[Female Voiceover]
And now, Shell Starship 3.0 is here. A new era of innovation, powered by a Cummins X15N™ natural gas engine, fueled by renewable natural gas, and lubricated with Shell Rotella natural gas engine oil. It’s not just a truck—it’s a rolling research lab.
[Video Footage and animation]
Full-screen footage shows a Shell Starship truck driving down the highway. A yellow animated box graphic shows up on the right side of the screen with gray text that reads “Shell Starship 3.0 transported 3 times more freight per kilogram of CO2 emitted compared to the U.S. average for diesel class 8 trucks”. White text appears at the bottom of the video that reads “The Shell Starship 3.0 completed a demonstration run in 2023 using Renewable Natural Gas (RNG) as fuel and ran a fully loaded trailer operating near the maximum permissible gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds for a class 8 truck on an 840-mile loop throughout California, collecting performance data. These results were third-party monitored and verified by The North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). Parameters for average US diesel truck provided by North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). Comparison on basis of tailpipe emissions in CO2 equivalent. Emission factors and fuel parameters derived from the CA-GREET 3.0 model (released August 13, 2018).” Text in the yellow box changes to read “and achieved a fuel economy of approximately 9 miles per gallon (MPG) Diesel Gallon Equivalent (DGE)”. Video shows the truck’s cab door opening to reveal steps to exit the cab. Wide shot of Shell Starship on the road. View of the inside of the truck’s dashboard.
[Female Voiceover]
In 2023, Starship 3.0 proved its power, hauling a full load across California with groundbreaking results for a natural gas semi-truck in fuel economy and efficiency.
[Video Footage]
Wide shot of Indycar driver Josef Newgarden standing in front of a Shell Starship truck. Josef on site in his uniform at a race, taking off his helmet. An Indycar with Shell logo drives on the course. You see the audience in the stands and officials waving the racing flags. Shell race team cheers and hug on the sidelines. Animated photo of the front of the Shell Starship truck with a group of people next to it.
[Female Voiceover]
And in 2025, Shell Starship joined the fast lane, literally. As the official transporter of INDYCAR’s Pennzoil Tech Inspection Trailer, it’s now part of the NTT INDYCAR Series and is the first natural gas-powered Class 8 truck to operate within a national racing series fleet in North America.
[Video Footage]
Panel of speakers near a Shell Starship truck. Josef Newgarden is on the right.
[Text displays]
Josef Newgarden
Driver of No. 2 Shel Team Penske Chevrolet
[Josef Newgarden]
One of my favorite parts about driving the Shell car is just how iconic it is to have on track. It’s nice when it’s fast too. It feels fast so far, but it just seems like the more sustainable we’ve become, the faster we go.
[Video Footage]
Group of media team members listening to the panel. Side view of the Shell Starship truck with the INDYCAR logo.
[Text displays]
J. Douglas Boles
President
INDYCAR & Indianapolis Motor Speedway
[J. Douglas Boles]
I want to drive this thing. This is really, really cool.
[Video Footage]
Visitors look inside the Shell Starship cab. Panel of speakers in front of a Shell Starship truck. Thomas Mueller is on the left.
[Text displays]
Thomas Mueller
GM, Global CRT Lubricants Marketing
Shell
[Thomas Mueller]
We’ve done some demonstration runs with this truck fully loaded on the West Coast running on renewable natural gas. The truck is not going to be on the track but it’s going to do the job from track to track.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of a Shell Starship truck in a rural area on the highway. Low angle shot of the truck on the highway. Panel of speakers in front of a Shell Starship truck. Mike Roeth is centered on the left.
[Text displays]
Mike Roeth
President
North American Council for Freight Efficiency
[Mike Roeth]
This is probably the most efficient, best natural class 8 truck in America.
[Video Footage]
Young male visitors in the cab of the truck. Group of people standing in front of the Shell Starship on display in a plaza. They all have thumbs up.
[Female Voiceover]
Building on the success in the United States, Shell Starship has gone global, with the launch of the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid in China.
[Animated sequence]
Full-screen image of a grayed-out drawing of the United States. An animated Shell Starship truck “drives” across the continent. White letters, all in capitalization read “UNITED STATES” below the truck. The animated truck begins to drive off the continent across a sea grid onto European grayed-out continents to stop in China. China is highlighted in dark blue with white letters, all in capitalization that read “CHINA” below the truck.
[Female Voiceover]
Developed in partnership with FAW Jiafang , the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid combines advanced hybrid power systems, Shell Bio-Diesel, and intelligent driving technologies. It’s setting new benchmarks in energy efficiency and smart logistics across Asia.
[Video Footage]
Full-screen footage shows a white eighteen-wheeler parked on a street and several men in suits walk out of the cab. Multiple Biofuel in green containers is shown. Group of team members in a meeting room look over building plans for an eighteen-wheeler cab. Close-up view of building plans on a desk. Two male team members look at a device in a meeting room. Close-up view of the Shell logo on one person’s shirt. A male Shell employee wearing safety glasses and in a red coat looks at equipment through a glass.
[Female Voiceover]
This collaboration is more than a truck—it’s a platform for innovation, research, and sustainable transformation in one of the world’s largest transportation markets. Shell Starship. From concept to competition. From coast to coast. From the U.S. to China. The journey continues.
[Video Footage]
A Shell Starship 3.0 truck appears parked on a highway. A group of visitors walk into a parked Shell Starship truck in China.
[Animated sequence]
Animation shows red equipment inside a truck. You zoom out of the outside roof of the truck. An overview look of the truck spins and shows airflow above the truck. You see the back of the truck with the wings open and wind depicted as white lines going over the truck.
[Video Footage]
Team members in a meeting room. People listening. Shell Starship truck on the highway in a rural area. Driver in a cab wearing a high-visibility vest drives along the highway. Two people in a Shell Starship truck driving on the highway.
[Text displays]
Together, we’re driving innovation in transport.
[Animated sequence]
The Shell yellow full-screen animation appears with the Shell logo in the middle.
[Background music plays]
Sound of Shell fades out.
[Background music plays]
Shell mnemonic.
Shell, NTT INDYCAR SERIES Put Energy-Efficient Innovation on the Road
Shell and INDYCAR have announced that the Shell Starship 3.0, a cutting-edge, energy-efficient Class 8 truck powered by renewable natural gas, will transport the Pennzoil Tech Inspection Trailer for the rest of the 2025 NTT INDYCAR SERIES season beginning with the Chevrolet Detroit Grand Prix. This marks the first time a natural gas-powered truck is integrated into a national racing series fleet in North America. The Starship 3.0 showcases advanced technologies like a lightweight carbon fiber body and aerodynamic features, achieving better freight efficiency and lower emissions than traditional diesel trucks1,3. This initiative reflects Shell and INDYCAR’s shared commitment to innovation and sustainability in motorsports and logistics. Read the full press release on INDYCAR’s website.
Shell Starship 2.0
Shell Starship 2.0 demonstrated how current technologies can lead to carbon reduction in commercial road transport. The Shell Starship 2.0 used learnings from the 1st Starship and featured an updated chassis and drivetrain, advanced innovative technologies, fuel saving technology and advanced lubricants, all brought together within the same aerodynamic design to optimize performance and efficiency.
Shell Starship 3.0 Natural Gas
Having achieved such excellent results with a diesel engine, Shell Starship 3.0 NG continued to push the boundaries of what is possible with a new Cummins X15N™ natural gas engine.
Similar to its predecessors, the truck also included components and features that promote lightweighting, low aerodynamic drag, and low rolling resistance tires. Shell Starship 3.0 NG operated using a low-viscosity Shell Rotella natural gas engine oil and Shell Spirax transmission and axle oils.
While operating near the maximum permissible gross vehicle weight of 80,000 pounds for a Class 8 truck, the Shell Starship 3.0 NG demonstration run achieved improvements over the U.S. average for diesel class 8 trucks1 of 2.542 times better freight ton efficiency (FTE) assessed on a ton-miles per gallon basis and 3.23 times3 better FTE assessed on a ton-miles per kg of CO2e emitted basis.
1 Parameters for average US diesel truck provided by NACFE.
2 Natural gas converted to Diesel Gallon Equivalent (DGE)
3 Comparison on basis of tailpipe emissions in CO2 equivalent. Emission factors and fuel parameters derived from the CA-GREET3.0 model (released August 13, 2018).
Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid
A pioneering fuel-efficient and carbon-reducing conceptual truck to lead the decarbonization transformation and energy-efficiency upgrading of China's commercial vehicle transportation industry. The Starship 3.0 Hybrid is equipped with many of the same aerodynamic components and features as the Starship 2.0 and 3.0 NG, but with an improved streamline design that is even more wind resistant than its predecessors.
For the Starship 3.0 Hybrid, we also partnered with Chinese OEM, FAW. The truck features FAW Advanced Hybrid Power and runs on Shell Bio-Diesel for even further carbon reduction. Stay tuned for exciting updates and results from our inaugural demonstration run of the Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid in China.
About Shell Starship
Aerodynamic Design
- Carbon fiber cab designed for low aerodynamic drag
- Integrated engine heat extractors on the truck skirt
- Automatic gap sealer provides seamless continuity between the truck and trailer
- Full-length side skirts minimise air movement under the truck and trailer
- Aerodynamic boat tail streamlines air flow around the trailer and reduces drag
Hyper-Fuel Efficiency
- A 5,000 watt solar panel array mounted on the trailer roof helps to charge the main battery bank and reduce engine loading from the alternator
- A wide-based, fuel-efficient tyre setup on the truck and trailer offers reduced weight and rolling resistance for improved fuel economy
- A new drive train configuration optimises fuel efficiency and increases torque
Enhanced Safety
- Stoneridge MirrorEye® Camera Monitoring System eliminates driver blind spots, provides a greater field of view, and improves safety for everyone on the road, day and night
- Predictive-adaptive cruise control helps smooth out any variability from the driver
- Improved stability control and Anti-lock Braking System with front, tandem and rear axle disc brakes
- Collision mitigation system with stationary object alert
Advanced Shell Lubricant Technologies
Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid
- Shell diesel engine oil FA-4 5W-30 for ultra-long mileage
- Shell steering fluid for ultra-long mileage
- Shell grease for ultra-long mileage
- Shell transmission oil 75W-80 for ultra-long mileage
- Shell coolant for ultra-long mileage
- Shell axle oil 75W-85 for ultra-long mileage
- Post-treatment system: Shell Urea
Shell Starship 3.0 NG
- Shell Rotella NG 5W-30, Heavy-Duty Engine Oil
- Shell Spirax S6 GME 40, Transmission Fluid
- Shell Spirax S6 AXME 75W-85, Axel Oil
- Shell Rotella ELC HD, Engine Coolant
Take a virtual tour of our Starship 3.0 Hybrid
Learn more about the inspiration behind the 2nd and 3rd generation Shell Starship trucks and see how the innovative application of existing technologies led to significant improvements in Freight Ton Efficiency.
Starship 2.0 Diesel
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Title: Starship 2.0 FC
Duration: 08.55 minutes
Description:
Starship 2.0, Shell’s hyper-efficient truck featuring a new chassis and drivetrain, fuel saving technology and advanced lubricant Rotella T6 Ultra 5W-30, demonstrates how Class 8 truck sector usage can be reduced by leveraging today’s existing energy efficient technologies to reduce CO2 emissions, increase fuel economy and decapitalize freight ton efficiency.
Starship 2.0 FC Transcript
[Music]
Music starts with pounding drums.
[Video Footage]
Camera pans over a road. Rapid sequence of shots of the side of Starship, a truck’s spinning wheels, a highway overpass and Starship’s headlights with large on-screen text.
Introduction
[Voiceover]
What if you could build a truck that sets new standards for fleet efficiency?
[Text displays]
WHAT IF YOU COULD BUILD A TRUCK THAT SETS NEW STANDARDS FOR FLEET EFFICIENCY
[Video Footage]
Rapid sequence of shots of a road, Starship’s cab and headlights, and highway overpasses with large on-screen text.
[Voiceover]
By moving more goods with less fuel to reduce carbon emissions.
[Text displays]
BY MOVING MORE GOODS WITH LESS FUEL TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of Starship parked at WLA Trucking site with on-screen text. Quick close-ups of Starship’s grill and opening panels between the tractor and trailer with on-screen text.
[Text displays]
SHELL’S STARSHIP 2.0
[Voiceover]
Shell’s Starship 2.0.
[Video Footage]
Wide-angled shot of Starship with on-screen text at the bottom.
[Text displays]
THE FUTURE IS HERE
[Voiceover]
The future is here.
Test Run
[Video Footage]
Wide-angled shot of Mount Airy, North Carolina. Lush green landscape with forested foothills. On-screen text top left.
[Text displays]
Mount Airy, North Carolina
[Voiceover]
On the road, North Carolina. Starship 2.0, one of the world’s most advanced trucks is undergoing a series of tests.
[Video Footage]
Footage of Starship 2.0 driving on a road amid green scenery.
[Voiceover]
The aim is to find ways to maximise the efficiency of transporting goods by road.
[Video Footage]
Further footage of Starship driving on a road with interspersed close-ups of the vehicle.
[Voiceover]
Improve fuel efficiency and reduce CO2 emissions.
[Video Footage]
Footage of a highway network with vehicles driving in both directions. In the middle, two electricity pylons between the highways and electricity wires hanging overhead. Aerial shot of urban highway network with over and underpasses and adjacent carpark. Quick drone shot zooming in on a parked Starship. Side-angle shot of Ryan Manthiri, a fleet of trucks behind him, and on-screen text.
[Text displays]
RYAN MANTHIRI
PROJECT LEADER
[Voiceover]
Ryan Manthiri is the project leader for the team from Shell that created Starship.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of Starship pulling into the WLA Trucking site where several dark blue trucks are parked. A group of individuals approach. Close-up of Starship’s tractor as an airplane-style door opens and lowers. Ryan Manthiri speaks into the camera. Behind him, a fleet of dark blue trucks.
Ryan Manthiri
Currently, the on-highway freight transport industry accounts for around 9% of global CO2 emissions. That has to come down.
[Video Footage]
Quick close-up of the rear of a truck driving on a road. Aerial shot of a truck driving on a road. Drone shot of Starship in the carpark panning over the solar panels installed on its roof.
Ryan Manthiri
Solutions like Starship help move us closer to meeting that challenge.
[Video Footage]
Footage of two trucks driving side by side on a road with mountains in the background as night draws in. Close-up of the side of Starship with the Shell pecten logo and text in red reading Shell and Rotella in black.
[Voiceover]
To achieve that goal, the team bought together readily available technology and combined them into one super-efficient truck.
A Lab on Wheels
[Video Footage]
Footage of Starship pulling into a garage while a man signals to the driver. Close-up of Starship’s tractor panning upwards to the cab. Ryan Manthiri speaks into the camera.
Ryan Manthiri
Think of Starship 2.0 as a lab on wheels.
[Voiceover]
Carbon fibre aerodynamic design allows Starship to slice through the air.
[Video Footage]
Shot of Starship driving on a road in green scenery. A yellow and green line flows over the body of the vehicle illustrating its aerodynamic design. On-screen text at the bottom.
[Text displays]
Advanced Aerodynamics
[Voiceover]
Low rolling resistance tyres improve fuel usage.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Starship’s tyres. On-screen text at the bottom.
[Text displays]
LOW RESISTANCE TYRES
[Voiceover]
Solar panels reduce draw on the engine.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of Starship driving on a road in green scenery. Moving yellow lines highlight the solar panels on the roof. On-screen text upper right.
[Text displays]
SOLAR PANELS
[Voiceover]
Predictive computation analyses road conditions to control vehicle velocity.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of a hand turning the ignition key inside Starship. Wider angle of the driver inside Starship as the dashboard displays light up. On-screen text centre-screen.
[Text displays]
PREDICTIVE DRIVING
[Voiceover]
A lightweight optimised drive train configuration ensures maximum efficiency.
[Video Footage]
Low-angled close-up of Starship driving past the shot. Camera pans over the drive train. Drone footage of Starship driving with superimposed CGI of the drive train. On-screen text bottom right.
[Text displays]
OPTIMISED DRIVE-LINE
[Voiceover]
And at the heart of Starship, Shell’s latest and most advanced lubricant. Shell’s Rotella T6 is delivering remarkable results to improve efficiency.
[CGI]
CGI of Starship’s engine and transmission with Rotella T6 lubricant in action.
Freight Ton Efficiency
[Video Footage]
A garage door opens as Starship waits to exit.
[Voiceover]
Today, Starship is taking a 400-mile test run carrying 11.25 tonnes of cargo.
[Animation]
Animation of a map with Starship’s route for its test run. On-screen text.
[Text displays]
NORTH CAROLINA
WLA, Mt. Airy
Lumberton
400 MILE ROUND TRIP
[Video Footage]
Footage of Starship exiting the garage. Ryan Manthiri speaks into the camera.
Ryan Manthiri
This replicates real-world operating conditions encountered by Class 8 trucks day in and day out.
[Video Footage]
Side-angled shot of Starship pulling into the carpark. Drone footage of Starship in the carpark, several cars and trucks parked to the sides.
[Voiceover]
To assess Starship in these real-world scenarios, the metric of freight ton efficiency is being used.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Starship driver turning the steering wheel. Low-angled close-up of Starship driving past the shot.
[Voiceover]
Freight ton efficiency takes into account the amount of cargo being transported on each journey. It’s calculated by multiplying the load carried, measured in tonnes, by the fuel used, measured in miles per gallon.
[CGI]
CGI of Starship driving on a road. Red blocks of cargo start to fill up inside the trailer. On-screen text centre-screen. CGI of a weight representing ton load and fuel gauge representing miles per gallon.
[Text displays]
FREIGHT TON EFFICIENCY
1 TON LOAD X MPG
[Video Footage]
Ryan Manthiri speaks into the camera.
Ryan Manthiri
It forces you to think much harder about how fuel is being used and critically where it’s being wasted.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Mike Roeth’s face. Side-angled shot of Mike Roeth standing up using a laptop, a white truck behind him. On-screen text upper left.
[Text displays]
MIKE ROETH
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, NACFE
[Voiceover]
Mike Roeth from the North American Council for Freight Efficiency has been brought in to capture data and independently verify results.
[Video Footage]
Side-angled close-up of Mike Roeth’s face. Close-up of Mike’s hand pointing at his laptop. Various graphs and data displayed on the screen. Mike Roeth speaks into the camera, dark blue trucks in the background.
Mike Roeth
We are fitting Starship with high precision telematics that will give us a live readout during the test.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of a device being fitted inside Starship on the driver’s side left under the steering wheel. Close-up of Mike Roeth opening up his laptop. Close-up of Mike’s hand connecting a cable to his laptop. Drone footage of the WLA Trucking site, a building and large carpark with several parked trucks and cars, the main road to the left.
[Voiceover]
The tests are being run out of WLA Trucking in North Carolina, Starship’s home base.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of Starship on the main road adjacent to the WLA site. Close-up of Ryan Manthiri, Mike Roeth and two unidentified males sitting next to each other working on laptops.
[Voiceover]
Joining the team today via link from the UK is Bob Mainwaring, lubricants expert and the lead technologist behind Starship.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Mike Roeth and Ryan Manthiri watching Bob Mainwaring via video link on a laptop. Still shot of Bob Mainwaring and on-screen text.
[Text displays]
BOB MAINWARING
TECHNOLOGY MANAGER INNOVATION, SHELL LUBRICANTS
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Bob Mainwaring in a dark lab examining a beaker half-filled with an orange substance. Bob Mainwaring speaks into the camera from his lab.
Bob Mainwaring
The entire Shell Starship project is about energy efficiency in transport and we’re trying to drive the fuel consumption down, the CO2 emissions down and drive that cargo transporting efficiency upwards as high as we possibly can.
[Video Footage]
Footage of cars and trucks driving on a highway as Starship approaches. Starship drives on a road amid green scenery.
[Voiceover]
The team found that one of the most effective ways to maximise efficiency is through advanced aerodynamic design.
[Video Footage]
Drone-shot of Starship as on-screen text appears at the top.
[Text displays]
ADVANCED AERODYNAMICS
[Voiceover]
By mimicking the shape of an aircraft, Starship can cut through the air with reduced drag.
[CGI]
CGI of Starship. A yellow line outlines the tractor. Green lines fly past the sides of Starship illustrating its aerodynamic design. Squiggly red lines appear between the tractor and trailer illustrating reduced drag.
[Voiceover]
At cruising speeds, automatic panels extend, sealing the gap between the tractor and the trailer, ensuring smooth airflow as it passes along the body.
[CGI]
Yellow outline appears in the space between the tractor and trailer as panels fold open to seal the gap.
[Voiceover]
Side skirts minimize air from passing under the vehicle. And at the rear a boattail allows air to exit the trailer with minimal turbulence.
[CGI]
Yellow outline forms around the side skirts at the bottom of Starship. At the rear, yellow outline forms around the boattail. Green lines flow throughout representing air flow.
[Video Footage]
Low-angled close-up of Starship’s side skirts as it drives. Bob Mainwaring speaks into the camera.
Bob Mainwaring
A typical American truck has a drag coefficient in the region of 0.6. Our truck has more than halved that down to 0.25. That’s an exceptionally good value. In fact, it’s better than most road cars.
[Video Footage]
Various close-ups from different angles of the panels opening up between the tractor and trailer. Drone footage of Starship driving on a road.
Rotella T6
[Voiceover]
In the engine, Starship is running a brand-new synthetic lubricant, Shell’s Rotella T6 5W-30.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage panning around a parked Starship. On-screen text to the right.
[Text displays]
ADVANCED LUBRICANTS
[Voiceover]
As the world’s leading supplier of lubricants, it’s an area Shell has decades of research and development to draw on.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of a Shell Rotella T6 jerrycan in a garage as a mechanic picks up a tool next to it. Close-up of lubricant being poured into a funnel. Bob Mainwaring speaks into the camera from his lab.
Bob Mainwaring
And with that comes a huge amount of expertise and knowhow, all of which is being brought to bear on the development of Shell Rotella T6.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of a parked Starship, its hood open as two individuals inspect it. Close-up of the two individuals by Starship as one of them does an oil inspection. Drone footage of Starship’s hood open as the two individuals continue their inspection.
[CGI]
CGI of turning gears.
[Video Footage]
Return to close-up of Rotella T6 jerrycan in garage.
[Voiceover]
Shell scientists developed triple protection plus technology, an advanced formulation that uses a synthetic reduced viscosity based oil to improve efficiency and reduce emissions.
[CGI]
CGI of lubricated gears, oil formulation, then back to turning gears showing Rotella T6 lubricant in action.
[Voiceover]
In extensive bench and road testing, T6 delivers gains of over 2%.
Test Run Results
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Starship driving on a road amid green scenery. Bob Mainwaring speaks into the camera.
Bob Mainwaring
Many of the freight fleets in America operate a huge number of trucks, so 2% of their fuel bill also translates into a very, very large financial saving. And then in terms of the environment, that equates to a very large impact on CO2 emissions as well.
[Video Footage]
Low-angled close-up of a truck’s spinning wheels on a road as another truck drives past. Close-up of the side of a passing truck. Aerial footage of a busy highway network with many cars. Scenic shot of trucks driving past the shot on a road at dusk. Timelapse footage of the WLA Trucking site in North Carolina.
[Voiceover]
Back at command control, Starship is delivering some encouraging data. Science and technology are producing important gains, but one area that often gets overlooked and is key to achieving good freight ton efficiency is the weight of the truck itself. The lighter the truck, the more cargo can be carried for the same amount of fuel, resulting in better economy and less CO2 emitted.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Mike Roeth and unidentified male looking at laptops. Footage of Starship driving through green scenery. Close-up of Ryan Manthiri and Mike Roeth looking at laptops. Close-up of Mike Roeth’s hands and laptop displaying data and a series of graphs. Footage of Starship on the road. Ryan Manthiri speaks into the camera.
Ryan Manthiri
When we were designing Starship 2.0, we knew reducing our tractor space weight would be key. So we specified Navistar’s LT chassis, Cummins 2020 X15 next generation engine and Eaton’s Endurant transmission. This integrated pairing reduced our tractor weight by almost half a ton.
[CGI]
CGI of Starship’s chassis, engine and transmission outlined in yellow.
[Voiceover]
The research being done to improve freight ton efficiency has never been more important. Changes in legislation and the Paris agreement mean that the transport sector must reduce emissions by over 80% in the coming years.
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Starship’s driver. Drone shot of Starship driving on a road. Aerial footage of an extensive urban road network with over and underpasses. Low-angled shot of a truck driving on a road. Drone shot of Starship driving in green scenery.
[Voiceover]
After six hours and 400 miles, Starship returns to base.
[Video Footage]
Footage of Starship pulling into the WLA Trucking site. Ryan Manthiri walks and speaks into the camera.
Ryan Manthiri
Three years of planning, thousands of hours of R&D all come down to this moment.
[Voiceover]
And the results are breath-taking. A freight ton efficiency of almost three times the US national average for Class 8 trucks, delivering a freight ton efficiency of 210 ton miles per gallon.
[Video Footage]
Drone footage of parked Starship, a group of individuals by the tractor applauding. On-screen text to the right.
[Text displays]
ALMOST 3 TIMES US AVERAGE
[Video Footage]
Drone footage panning over the top of Starship’s solar panels over which on-screen text appears.
[Text displays]
210 TON MPG
[Video Footage]
Close-up of Starship name on the side of the vehicle. Quick zoom out. Drone footage of Starship on the road approaching a highway.
Coast to Coast Test Run
[Voiceover]
But how good could Starship be if it maximized how much cargo it was carrying? To answer that question, the team devised an ultimate challenge. A coast to coast test run.
[Video Footage]
Starship driving on highway as other trucks approach. Quick shot passing by rows of palm trees and low hills. Footage taken from inside a vehicle driving under an overpass.
[Voiceover]
San Diego, California to Jacksonville, Florida. A mammoth 2,315-mile journey, hauling 23.5 tonnes.
[Animation]
Animation of a map with Starship’s route and on-screen text.
[Text displays]
SAN DIEGO
Liberty Station
Jacksonville
2,315 MILES
[Video Footage]
Footage of a forklift truck loading cargo into the back of the Starship trailer. Shot from inside the trailer as more cargo is being loaded. Bob Mainwaring speaks into the camera.
Bob Mainwaring
The results we’ve obtained on the coast to coast run are truly staggering. We’ve ended up with a freight ton efficiency which is 3.5 times higher than that of the current US average.
[Voiceover]
Drone footage of Starship driving on a highway. On-screen text.
[Text displays]
254 TON MPG
[Voiceover]
If this approach was applied across the entire US trucking fleet, CO2 emissions would be reduced by a staggering 71%.
[Video Footage]
Aerial shot of multiple-lane highway in both directions with various vehicles. Adobe logo and Adobe Stock watermark superimposed centre-screen. Large on-screen text fills the screen.
[Text displays]
71%
[Voiceover]
The consequences of that as the world strives towards net zero would have a huge impact on the environment.
[Video Footage]
Aerial footage of a different multiple-lane highway with various vehicles. Adobe logo and Adobe Stock watermark superimposed centre-screen. Aerial footage of vehicles on a two-lane road snaking through forest-covered foothills. Mike Roeth speaks into the camera.
Mike Roeth
I’ve spent my whole career working on lowering emissions in road transport and what Shell has done here is put together a vehicle that will help be the example for a lot of truckers to save fuel and lower emissions.
[Video Footage]
Low-angled close-up of Starship’s tractor driving on a road amid green scenery. Drone footage of Starship driving on a road by green fields. Quick zoom in on Starship parked at the WLA Trucking site as the camera hovers.
[Music]
Shell jingle plays.
[Video Footage]
White background with Shell pecten logo and on-screen text at bottom.
[Text displays]
© SHELL INTERNATIONAL LIMITED 2021
Shell Starship 3.0 Hybrid
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
Shell Rotella
Starship 3.0 - Ultimate Stopover Script
V2 - October 4tg
Version 1 - Proceed For VO
Open on an overhead pan of the Starship leaving the garage. We see it pull out into the open air in a gradual reveal. We see those working on the vehicle walk around it, tweaking, hard at work, or admiring it.
VO: At Shell, everything we do is centered around powering progress. That’s why we created the Starship Initiative, which leverages today’s existing energy technology to accelerate toward a lower carbon future.
Rather than wait for new technology, we went to work creating our own energy efficient truck design and incorporated currently available technologies that any fleet can adopt to start reducing their fuel consumption and carbon emissions today.
And we keep on innovating. Since 2018, each generation of the Shell Starship has demonstrated how the Commercial Road Transport sector can collaborate and successfully reduce energy usage and CO2 emissions.
Show Graphic of 1.0 and 2.0 results
VO: Both the first and second-generation versions of the Shell Starship achieved excellent results.
Cut to close up details of the vehicle, highlighting the design that makes it so unique. Detail shots of the wrapping process.
VO: Having achieved such results with a diesel engine, we focused on what was next, channeling our energy into pushing boundaries even further.
VO: Introducing Starship 3.0.
Finally, we see it out on the road, in all of its glory.
VO: A groundbreaking design worthy of the Starship name, trailblazing the future of freight ton efficiency.
The terrains become more varied and intense, a testament to the Starship Program continuing to push the limits of possibility.
VO: Like its first two iterations, Shell Starship 3.0 leverages the latest innovations available.
Cut to an interview with Sabrina, where we can see her face in full.
SABRINA: “The Shell Starship program has seen many accomplishments since its inception. We are now operating the third generation of the Starship truck, running on Shell renewable natural gas with a Cummins natural gas engine.”
Cut to any construction or interior mechanics of the Starship 3.0.
Cut to an interview shot with a Cummins team member.
PUNEET: “The Starship 3.0 that you will see will have our X15 Engine which is the first launch big bore natural gas engine in the North American Market”
RYAN: “Starship 3.0 will feature technologies and solutions that promote freight ton efficiency; like light-weighting, a cabin and trailer that offer low aerodynamic drag, an optimized powertrain and driveline, a low rolling resistance tire setup from Bridgestone, and finally the in cab devices and telematics that improve operational efficiency and driver safety”
Cut to beauty shots that emanate power and detailed design. We see detailed shots of fleet palettes
VO: By using Renewable Compressed Natural Gas, a low-carbon natural gas transportation fuel derived from organic waste, which is also interchangeable with Compressed Natural Gas and Liquid Natural Gas in transport vehicles, fleets can reduce their carbon emissions even further.
Disclaimer on screen: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. January 2021. An Overview of Renewable Natural Gas from Biogas.
Any shot of the vehicle being cared for, maintained, or touched by a human being. This could be one of our in-shop shots.
VO: After months of hard work and collaboration, the Shell Starship has once again delivered great results.
TOM: To test the Starship 3.0, we loaded the truck with Shell Rotella engine oil and traveled over 800 miles of the US West Coast under the evaluation and verification of the North American Council for Freight Efficiency (NACFE). This 3rd generation Starship was able to achieve an average of 8.9 miles per gallon – diesel gallon equivalent and an impressive Freight Ton efficiency of 302 ton miles per gallon. In addition, this proved over three times the US average freight ton efficiency assessed on a ton-miles per kg CO2 emitted. This was due in part to the change to a natural gas engine, but it is also complemented by improvements in all of the other energy-focused modifications used in previous versions of the Starship, which are advanced aerodynamics; low rolling resistance tires; solar panels; low friction lubricants; optimised driver feedback systems; lightweighting; maximised cargo loading; and driver behaviour.
Cut more quickly between footage of the truck, capturing the breadth of its performance, beauty, and innovation.
VO: Sustainability doesn’t have to be some far off goal. The Starship proves that we can craft the future as we Speak. That innovation can happen anytime.
HEATHER: “The future of transport won’t arrive in one leap, one answer, one technology replacing another. It will be millions of innovations, coming together, working in concert.”
VO: With that in mind, we now welcome a new member to the Starship Initiative: Starship China.
Emission reduction is a global effort. Taking our learnings from the Starship initiative so far, we will continue to innovate with our partners in China to provide valuable insights and learnings for the commercial road transport sector as it accelerates toward a lower carbon future. Together, this is how we power progress.
Cut to any end card or logos for the Starship.
Shell Starship 3.0 Natural Gas
Read the transcript
Read the transcript
1
00:00:00,480 --> 00:00:06,000
At Shell, we strive to stay at the forefront of technology and energy efficiency.
2
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As carbon emission regulations evolve,
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so does the need for continuing advances in fuel economy.
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Shell recognizes that adopting a holistic approach
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towards improving on-highway fleet efficiencies is vital.
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Transport accounts for more than one quarter of the world’s total energy use.
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and one fifth of global energy-related carbon dioxide emissions.
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Shell in China
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has teamed up with FAW JIEFANG
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To create Starship China,
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pushing many boundaries of heavy-duty truck design.
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We are combining existing advanced technologies
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within one cutting-edge truck to elevate performance optimisation
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to unrivalled levels.
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Starship China,
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more aerodynamic,
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Enhancing the aerodynamic features
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and reducing air drag by more than 50%.
19 00:01:06,879 --> 00:01:09,319
Superior driving experience,
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Equipping smart cockpit,
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camera driver vision system
22 00:01:13,359 --> 00:01:14,719
and Shell Remote Sense.
23
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Enhancing safety and reliability,
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for vehicles, drivers, and the cargo.
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Higher energy efficiency,
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Increasing freight ton efficiency
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and improving fuel economy
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by combining FAW-JIEFANG H intelligent hybrid powertrain
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together with Shell fluids and fuels.
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Lower carbon emissions,
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With customized green electricity,
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low carbon fuels
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and sustainable materials,
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that serve the goal of reducing carbon emissions.
35
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Starship China,
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shows how fleets around the world
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can significantly improve their energy efficiency,
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to accelerate their decarbonisation journey.
39
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Starship China is the result of our collaborative approach and highlights
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the impact our combined efforts can have on road transport.
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Starship China introduces a practical solution for the road transport sector
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that enables better energy efficiency.
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It is driving the transport sector towards a lower carbon future.
1 Parameters for average US diesel truck provided by NACFE.
2 Natural gas converted to Diesel Gallon Equivalent (DGE)
3 Comparison on basis of tailpipe emissions in CO2 equivalent. Emission factors and fuel parameters derived from the CA-GREET3.0 model (released August 13, 2018).
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