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 February 01, 2024
By
Noah Staats

 How Engine-manufacturer Cummins Plans To Sustain In The Electrified Future

  • Cummins debuts fuel-agnostic engine platform focusing on hydrogen and biogas, a big shift for a company known for gas/diesel engines.
     

  • The new engine platform prioritizes lower emissions and offers a diesel option as well as the use of sustainable fuels.
     

  • Cummins aims to bring its green technology to larger freight and public transport vehicles, signaling a move beyond traditional cars and trucks.
     

 Cummins debuts fuel-agnostic engine platform focusing on hydrogen and biogas, a big shift for a company known for gas/diesel engines.
The new engine platform prioritizes lower emissions and offers a diesel option as well as the use of sustainable fuels.
Cummins aims to bring its green technology to larger freight and public transport vehicles, signaling a move beyond traditional cars and trucks.

 We're seeing the industry move quickly towards renewable energy, both in the electric and hydrogen categories, so Cummins is certainly onto something with its newest creation. Of course, we'll get deeper into the specifics of this fuel-agnostic engine and platform below, so keep reading!

 Cummins Unveils Industry-First Fuel-Agnostic Platform At SIAT 2024



At this year's Symposium on International Automotive Technology conference in Pune, India, Cummins showcased its first-ever fuel-agnostic engine platform. This came as a surprise to many attendees, as Cummins Group has largely been a staple in fuel-based manufacturing. You can also count on the brand debuting its hydrogen engine at the Intermat Show in Paris in April.

  • Some special features of this currently known 15-liter platform include the fact it reaches 530 horsepower when dealing with hydrogen fuel and 510 horsepower with natural gas. This platform and engine configuration is meant to utilize better thermal efficiency, providing you, the driver, with an enhanced performance experience.

    What this does: Cummins has debuted a fuel-agnostic engine platform focusing on natural gas rather than fossil fuel.

    You Still Have A Diesel Option

    Something else to note about this new engine platform by Cummins is that it allows for a diesel option as well. Through this design, you can also use sustainable HVO fuel or biodiesel with ratings up to 650 horsepower. The main objective of this project is to allow for traditional engine configurations with a greener, cleaner twist, as well as prioritize lower-to-none emissions. HVO fuel or biodiesel won't have strong emission outputs, nor will they jeopardize your Cummins engine.
     

As one of the industry's largest engine manufacturers, Cummins works alongside major brands on engine development and implementation on a daily basis. Because of this, the ball has started rolling into the hydrogen segment, with this newest platform being a cherry on top.

Fuel-agnostic engines have been an oxymoron of sorts up until now. You finally have a brand as big and powerful as Cummins shifting its focus from 100 percent gas manufacturing to that of hydrogen or biofuel power. Toyota is a big player in this space right now, and so is Honda: Cummins wants a bite.

Anytime we see a group of engine/battery makers band together with car companies to develop groundbreaking technology, we know there's a big shift coming. One of the best parts of hydrogen being the main energy source for this specific fuel-agnostic platform is that it opens the door for further hydrogen infrastructure across the U.S./Canada/Europe/Asia. These markets tend to be most affected and influenced by Cummins and its subsidiaries, so hydrogen is making its way to a bigger scale.

Hydrogen is the future: Many believe that hydrogen engines are the future of the auto industry. Cummins, specifically its Indian division, has focused heavily on creating the next generation of engine platforms, shifting away from fossil fuels.

Cummins Won't Stop At Regular Cars, Trucks, And SUVs

Another Easter egg we caught during this unveiling was that Cummins is adamant that its "Destination Zero" vision reaches far beyond your average car, truck, or SUV platform. The brand hopes to bring its newest technology to much larger freight/shipping vehicles, plus public transport. This could be BIG news for green energy, especially coming out of a fossil-fuel-dependent company.

Because Cummins has long tested and teased a natural gas/hydrogen engine, this does trickle down to other areas in the auto space. You have larger freight trucks and construction vehicles that may not be ready for electric platforms and technology, which is where a creation like Cummins' newest fuel-agnostic engine platform comes into play.

Through this groundbreaking manufacturing, you see larger, more needy vehicles able to enjoy cleaner energy without compromising performance or safety. Cummins is a global leader in auto manufacturing and engine development, employing nearly 60,000+ people across the globe.

Fuel agnostic for the win: Cummins' current platform and upcoming hydrogen engine will allow larger equipment and shipping trucks to use renewable energy.

Batteries Don't Work (Right Now) For Hard Working Vehicles
 

One issue that plagues the construction and shipping industry is how much power is needed for everyday work. Current electric battery technology is not capable of handling long-distance, bulky loads, which is where natural gas/hydrogen can swoop in and save the day. Cummins has been doing this for over 100 years, building and supplying many of your favorite auto brands with reliable engines and platforms.

However, now, the multinational corporation plans to move into a hydrogen and biogas-reliant industry, from the everyday car to the largest of equipment. Batteries, for now, do not cut it for certain types of driving and energy consumption.

Now that we have a platform unveiled by Cummins, it's time to wait until April for the hydrogen engine. Cummins continues its forward momentum towards "Destination Zero" with the unveiling of its B6.7H hydrogen engine at the Intermat Show in Paris, which marks a major shift for the company and its global subsidiaries.

The joint venture with NPROXX for onboard fuel storage further demonstrates Cummins' comprehensive approach to hydrogen-powered combustion engines. Current engines take fossil fuels, which, up to this point, Cummins has embraced. However, through cutting-edge technology and advancement at its factories and labs, the auto manufacturer is able to move beyond gas and into alternative, electric-adjacent options.

The broader car industry is embracing electricity like never before, but Cummins is working with what it's got and doing one hell of a job. Innovation tends to be a focal point of Cummins' mission, as well as relying on a global team of engineers versus one specific country.

Cummins has partnered with NPROXX for onboard hydrogen storage technology.

Hydrogen Vehicles Are Still In The Early Stages Of Development

Something to note, even with Cummins debuting this platform and subsequent engine, is that hydrogen technology is VERY new. We only have a couple of models using hydrogen on roads, including the Toyota Mirai, so this, at a large scale, will take time. What we've seen in the electric industry is because of decades of testing and building, which has just recently begun to blossom.

For hydrogen power, Cummins remains in the minority of manufacturers actually taking a dive into developing platforms and engines. According to the Department of Energy, much of the U.S. hydrogen consumers lie in California, with infrastructure for refueling very limited. This is a big step, but we'll need many more before hydrogen becomes a "thing" for drivers.

 

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