The Shell Starship program exceeded its 2018 results in its second cross-country run using energy-efficient technologies to demonstrate what could be achieved driving a Class 8 truck in real-world conditions. Shell Starship 2.0 made a cross-country drive across the U.S. from San Diego to Jacksonville, following the same route as in 2018. A second, shorter 400-mile evaluation run was conducted to provide additional data about its freight ton efficiency and fuel economy benefits. Both trips were monitored and verified by the North American Council for Freight Efficiency.

For the cross-country drive, Shell Starship 2.0 achieved 254 ton-miles per gallon for freight ton efficiency—a 3.5 times improvement over the North America average freight ton efficiency for trucks which is 72 ton-miles per gallon. Shell says that freight ton efficiency is the most relevant statistic for judging the energy intensity associated with moving cargo from point A to point B since it combines the weight of cargo being moved with the amount of fuel consumed. Shell Starship 2.0 achieved 10.8 MPG on its cross-country run, as compared to the 8.94 achieved by Starship 1.0 and the 6.4 MPG North American fleet average MPG.

These numbers are made even more significant given that Shell Starship 2.0 beat the 178 ton-miles per gallon for freight ton efficiency achieved in 2018 while carrying an 18% increase in payload, from 39,900 lbs. of clean reef material in 2018 to 47,100 lbs. this year.